cute

/kju:t/

Thân thiện

A little girl holds a cute kitten in her arms.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Attractive in a pretty or endearing way: "cute" describes something or someone that is charmingly attractive, often due to small size, prettiness, or a quaint quality.
   • Excessively or affectedly clever or charming: "cute" can also describe something that is obviously and sometimes annoyingly contrived to be charming or precious.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The puppy was so cute with its floppy ears.
  • She wore a cute dress to the party.
  • His attempt at a cute remark fell flat. (This example illustrates the "affectedly clever" sense.)

Advanced Usage

• "cute as a button": extremely cute or charming.

  • The newborn baby was as cute as a button.

• "be cute" (informal, often disapproving): to act in a clever or sly way, often to avoid something.

  • Don't try to be cute with me; just answer the question directly.

Variants and Related Words

• Cuteness (n): the quality of being cute.
  • The cuteness of the kittens was overwhelming.

Synonyms

• Adorable: inspiring great affection; delightful.
• Charming: very pleasant or attractive.
• Precious (often derogatory in this context): affectedly quaint or charming.

Antonyms

• Unattractive: not pleasing to look at.
• Homely: simple but cozy; (in North American usage) not attractive.

Related Idioms

• "cute trick": a clever or sly action, often with a hint of disapproval.
  • That was a cute trick, hiding the keys from me.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. obviously contrived to charm
   • an insufferably precious performance
   • a child with intolerably cute mannerisms
2. attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
   • a cute kid with pigtails
   • a cute little apartment
   • cunning kittens
   • a cunning baby

Từ đồng nghĩa

• precious
• cunning