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Synonyms

cutie

American  
[kyoo-tee] / ˈkju ti /
Sometimes cutey

noun

  • cuties
    plural
  1. Informal. a charmingly attractive or cute person, especially a girl or a young woman (often used as a form of address).

    Hi, cutie.

  2. Slang.

    1. a person who tries to outsmart an opponent, as an athlete who outmaneuvers an opposing player.

      The tackle was a real cutie when blocking on trap plays.

    2. a clever or cunning maneuver.

      He pulled a cutie.


cutie British  
/ ˈkjuːtɪ /

noun

  1. a person regarded as appealing or attractive, esp a girl or woman

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does cutie mean? Cutie is an informal word for a person considered cute or attractive. It can be used to refer to such a person, as in There are a couple of real cuties in my math class, or to address such a person, as in Hey, cutie, I missed you!This sense of the word can be considered demeaning toward the person it’s referring to or addressing. But that’s not always the case, especially when it’s directed toward a person by someone they love as a term of affection. Cutie can also be used as a term of endearment and affection that’s especially used to refer to or to address young children, much like sweetheart, sweetie, or darling. Cutie can also be spelled as cutey, but this is much less common. Example: Your nephew is such a cutie—look at that sweet face!

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of cutie

An Americanism dating back to 1760–70; cute + -ie

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.

See Examples For:

Peep Ludacris as a cutie child on page 288.

From Seattle Times Nov. 20, 2023

Similarly, in VanderMeer’s 2017 novel “Borne,” the titular character is a green lump, both a terrifying nightmare weapon and a cutie.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 11, 2023

Cyrano, a soldier ashamed of his large, misshapen nose, is in love with Roxanne, who is smitten with a callow cutie named Christian.

From New York Times Feb. 23, 2022

If you notice it is still a bit warm when you start to do so, roll that cutie right back up and wait.

From Washington Post Dec. 17, 2021

We should not make it a personal thing, 12TH JUROR: Um, if no one else has an idea, I may have a cutie here.

From "Twelve Angry Men" by Reginald Rose

The mom may move them to a better location, and she grooms the little cuties, just as she groomed them when they were mere babes-in-eggs.

From Salon May 11, 2025

Now, a mere seven days later, China’s President Xi Jinping has signaled that China may send some more of the fluffy cuties our way.

From Slate Nov. 16, 2023

The Maine Sales Company offers three diameters of buckwheat-filled cuties in various solid colors, as well as fun prints of cats, dogs, butterflies or lobsters.

From Seattle Times Jan. 4, 2022

Country cuties Kelsea Ballerini and Thomas Rhett cohost the annual music showcase “CMA Fest 2018.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 3, 2018

That’s the case with the lighthearted, eager-to-please “Blockers,” which features an innocuously pleasant cast of middle-age professional goofballs and a rather less-funny collection of dewy young cuties.

From New York Times Apr. 5, 2018

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