cute

[kyoot]

adjective

cuter, cutest 

1. attractive, especially in a dainty way; pleasingly pretty.

   a cute child; a cute little apartment.

2. appealing and delightful; charming.

   What a cute toy!

3. affectedly or mincingly pretty or clever; precious.

   The child has acquired some intolerably cute mannerisms.

4. mentally keen; clever; shrewd.

noun

1. Informal.,  the cutes, self-consciously cute mannerisms or appeal; affected coyness.

   The young actress has a bad case of the cutes.

cute

/ kjuːt /

adjective

1. appealing or attractive, esp in a pretty way

2. informal,  sexually attractive

3. informal,  affecting cleverness or prettiness

4. clever; shrewd

Other Word Forms

• cutely adverb
• cuteness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cute¹

First recorded in 1615–25; aphetic variant of acute

Word History and Origins

Origin of cute¹

C18 (in the sense: clever): shortened from _acute

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. meet cute,

   1. (of a romantic couple) to meet for the first time in a charming or amusing way.

      In this type of movie the boy and girl always meet cute.

   2. Also meet-cute a situation or occasion when potential romantic partners meet for the first time in a charming or amusing way.

      a classic Hollywood meet cute; his meet-cute with Jane in the bookstore.

Example Sentences

Sometimes the clues are more cute than scary, such as the references to Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher who asserted the illusory nature of reality.

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“I actually grew up playing a little bit. I remember for one of my birthdays, I got this cute little set of pink golf clubs,” Clark said.

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Some Los Angeles residents find the bots cute and endearing.

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Jade’s gang escapes in two big buses with Luis and Esteban bouncing behind in their minivan, a cute dog on the kid’s lap.

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“She’s such a cute girl and I’m just dying to see her,” said Denes.

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Related Words

• adorable 
• beautiful 
• charming 
• delightful 
• pleasant 
• pretty