Cliché

A cliché is basically something that is seen over and over again in all kinds of media. It is not necessarily a bad thing, hence why it is a cliché in the first place, however it has come to have a negative connotation. What's important to remember is that most everything has at least one cliché in it; they're practically unavoidable, and they are mostly forgivable so long as the author uses them properly and not excessively.

Common Clichés

 * The damsel-in-distress character.
 * A villain who gives the hero all the details of his plan because he believes that the hero will be unable to escape the death trap.
 * Talking animals.

Resources

 * Original Writerium Article