What is the name of a trite phrase or expression?

A cliché is an element of an artistic work, saying, or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel.

Most phrases now considered clichéd originally were regarded as striking but have lost their force through overuse. The French poet Gérard de Nerval once said, "The first man who compared woman to a rose was a poet, the second, an imbecile."

Used sparingly, it may succeed, but the use of a cliché in writing, speech, or argument is generally considered a mark of inexperience or a lack of originality.

The word 'cliché' is borrowed from French, where it is a past passive participle of 'clicher', 'to click', used a noun; 'cliché' is attested from 1825 and originated in the printing trades. The term 'cliché' was adopted as printers' jargon to refer to a stereotype, electrotype, cast plate or block print that could reproduce type or images repeatedly.

Notable examples of cliché: "Cold as ice", "Dark as night", "As beautiful as a rose", "Blue as the sky", "Brave as a lion."