quaint

American  

[kweynt] / kweɪnt /

adjective

quainter, quaintest

1. having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm; oddly picturesque.

   a quaint old house.

   Synonyms:

   archaic, antiquated

2. strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing way.

   a quaint sense of humor.

   Synonyms:

   uncommon, curious

   Antonyms:

   ordinary

3. skillfully or cleverly made.

4. Obsolete. wise; skilled.

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quaint British  

/ kweɪnt /

adjective

1. attractively unusual, esp in an old-fashioned style

   a quaint village

2. odd, peculiar, or inappropriate

   a quaint sense of duty

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Other Word Forms

• quaintly adverb
• quaintness noun

Etymology

Origin of quaint

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English queinte, from Old French, variant of cointe “clever, pleasing,” from Latin cognitus “learned, known,” past participle of cognōscere “to learn, become acquainted”; cognition

Example Sentences

Now that looks downright quaint, as premium partners are raking in as much as Clark—and far more in some cases.

From The Wall Street Journal

But neither was their three-night stay there last April a quaint camping experience.

From Los Angeles Times

In today’s world, it’s almost quaint to maintain a stable doctor-patient relationship for more than a few years.

From MarketWatch

But mostly I long for the open road, those forgotten highways where pavement runs through the quaint towns, weathered landmarks and the millions of acres of public land in the desert.

From Los Angeles Times

Of course there are still detractors, but in an era in which public cancellations abound and apologies are scrutinized for any whiff of inauthenticity, Milli Vanilli’s wrongdoings can now seem quaint.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bizarre
• curious
• fanciful
• funny
• laughable
• peculiar
• unusual
• weird
• whimsical