What does "cute" mean?

1. (endearing or sweet) attractive in a pretty or endearing way, like a baby or a small animal. 2. (physically attractive) good-looking or attractive, usually used for young people. 3. (clever or sharp) clever or smart, sometimes in a way that is slightly annoying. 4. (elegant and simple) a clever and simple way to solve a problem.

How do you use "cute"?

Often used by mathematicians and engineers to describe a short, clever proof or design.

cute

adj.

US //ˈkjut// UK //kjˈuːt// cute

1 endearing or sweet (adj.)
A2 Elementary

attractive in a pretty or endearing way, like a baby or a small animal.

possessing features or behaviours typically associated with infants or small animals, such as daintiness or innocence.

Example

The puppy is so cute when it tries to run on the grass.

Example

The marketing campaign relied heavily on cute illustrations of forest animals to appeal to young families.
- ugly
- unappealing
2 physically attractive (adj.)
B1 Intermediate Informal

good-looking or attractive, usually used for young people.

physically attractive or pleasing in a youthful or charming manner.

Example

I think the new guy in our office is really cute.

Example

She admitted to having a crush on the lead singer, describing him as the cutest member of the band.
- attractive
- good looking
- pretty
- plain
- unattractive

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3 clever or sharp (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate American English Informal

clever or smart, sometimes in a way that is slightly annoying.

mentally keen or discerning; often used to describe a solution that is clever but perhaps overly simplified or cheeky.

Example

Don't get cute with me—just answer the question honestly.

Example

The lawyer tried a cute trick to distract the jury, but the judge quickly intervened to keep the trial on track.
- dim
- slow
4 elegant and simple (adj.)
C1 Advanced Technical Math

a clever and simple way to solve a problem.

evincing cleverness or surprising elegance in a solution, particularly in technical or mathematical contexts.

Example

That is a cute way to solve the math problem using only two steps.

Example

The professor presented a cute proof of the theorem that bypassed the need for complex calculus entirely.

Usage

Often used by mathematicians and engineers to describe a short, clever proof or design.
- clunky
- convoluted

Origin

Aphetic form of acute, originally meaning “keenly perceptive or discerning, shrewd” (1731). Meaning transferred to “pretty, fetching” by US students (slang) c. 1834. Meaning drifted further to describe the pleasing attraction to features usually possessed by the young.

Word family

Nouncuteness
Nouncutie
Adjectivecute