mickey mouse

adjective

, (often initial capital letters)

1. trite and commercially slick in character; corny:

   mickey mouse music.

2. useless, insignificant, or worthless:

   mickey mouse activities just to fill up one's time.

3. trivial or petty:

   mickey mouse regulations.

Mickey Mouse

adjective

1. ineffective; trivial; insignificant

   he settled for a Mickey Mouse job instead of something challenging

2. (of music, esp that of dance bands) mechanical or spiritless

Mickey Mouse

1. A cartoon character created by Walt Disney . Mickey's image is so widespread that he has achieved the status of myth.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mickey mouse¹

First recorded in 1930–35; after the animated cartoon character created by Walt Disney, originally with reference to the banal dance-band music played as background to the cartoons

Word History and Origins

Origin of mickey mouse¹

C20: from the name of a cartoon character created by Walt Disney, known for his simple-minded attitudes