twee
Origin of twee
Words nearby twee
MORE ABOUT TWEE
What else does twee mean?
Twee describes someone or something as affectedly and cloyingly cute, sweet, and quaint. It’s also a subgenre of indie pop music.
Where does twee come from?
The word twee comes from early 20thâcentury British baby talk. Baby talk refers to both the language adults sometimes use with small children (think tummy for âstomachâ or nub-nub for âpacifierâ) as well as the way that kids attempt adult speech. Twee comes from the baby-talk mispronunciation of sweet. Itâs seen as early as 1905.
Initially, twee was used affectionately for something or someone sweet and adorable. Over time, however, twee gained a negative connotation throughout the English language, characterizing something as overly or affectedly cute or quaint. In the 2000â10s, twee conjured up a certain brand of overdone, white hipsterism: polka dots, bird patterns, suspenders, handlebar mustaches, Zooey Deschanel, and Wes Anderson films.
How is twee used in real life?
In the 2010s, the word twee has become popularly associated with a certain aesthetic, especially in women’s clothing. It stereotypically includes wearing vintage, retro clothes with floral or animal patterns and Peter Pan collars, cutesy accessories, and a consciously nerdy, meek, or demure vibe.
In music, twee is commonly used to describe a certain subgenre of indie pop music that has its roots in the 1980s. Generally, twee is poppy and jangly, often slightly folk-inspired, and is heavy on the love songs. Standout examples include Belle and Sebastian and The Pastels.
Being twee usually implies something or someone is charming and whimsical to the point it’s cloying and grating.
My psychiatrist won't prescribe me anything even though she admits I'm insufferably twee.
— Smoke Teff (@steviekoteff) January 10, 2019
The TV comedy Portlandia notably mocked tweeness in hipster culture.
More examples of twee:
âOf course tweeness of any sort remains polarising â what is endearing for some is toe-curlingly cloying and sickly for others â but love it or loathe it, there is now no escaping it.â
âLindsay Baker, BBC, October 2014
Note
This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the termâs history, meaning, and usage.