ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cute

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈkjut// UK //kjˈuːt// cute General-service

adj. attractive in a pretty or endearing way, especially because of being small or young. You use it to describe things like babies, puppies, or nice clothes.

adj. attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, or endearing manner. Often used to describe physical appearance or behavior that evokes affection.


SIMPLE

That puppy is so cute when it sleeps.

CONTEXTUAL

She bought a cute little dress for her niece's first birthday party.

COMPLEX

While the marketing campaign relied on cute, animated characters to appeal to children, the underlying message of the film was surprisingly sophisticated and mature.

Synonyms
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.

Usage

Typically used as a gradable adjective; it can be used before a noun or after a linking verb.

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