kitsch
Americannoun
noun
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Kitsch in literature and music is associated with sentimentalism as well as bad taste.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of kitsch
First recorded in 1925–30; from German, derivative of kitschen “to throw together (a work of art)”
Explanation
Kitsch is art that's garish, nostalgic, and very low-brow. Some people who love the aesthetics of souvenir culture think kitsch is really cool, while others think it's in very poor taste. Kitsch is a German word that's been adopted into English, meaning "worthless, trashy art," or the quality of that art. A ceramic figurine of a puppy with sad eyes is pretty kitsch, as is a velvet Elvis painting. Of course some people think that kitsch is really beautiful and fill their homes with stuff that other people consider trashy souvenirs. If your painting teacher tells you your portraits are kitsch, that's probably not a compliment.
Vocabulary lists containing kitsch
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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Sometimes the Girl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Kitsch refers to them as “brothers now,” having gained their trust and respect, and the warmth is returned.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025
But it’s different with Kitsch, who took an active interest in the veteran community.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025
But for those thinking, “Haven’t we seen Taylor Kitsch in uniform a few times before?” — you’re not crazy.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025
“They are literally the umbrellas from Mar-a-Lago,” Pep Secretary Leavitt said of the yellow and white striped umbrellas on the patio as she gave reporters an impromptu tour of the Garden of Kitsch.
From Salon • Aug. 22, 2025
Kitsch: defined in dictionaries as gaudy, trash, pretentious, shallow art expression addressing a low, unrefined taste.
From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
