# cute

/ˈkjut/ (US) · /kjˈuːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cute
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. endearing or sweet

adjective · CEFR A2

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

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

- The puppy is so cute when it tries to run on the grass.
- The marketing campaign relied heavily on cute illustrations of forest animals to appeal to young families.

### 2. physically attractive

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

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

For teachers: physically attractive or pleasing in a youthful or charming manner.

- I think the new guy in our office is really cute.
- She admitted to having a crush on the lead singer, describing him as the cutest member of the band.

### 3. clever or sharp

adjective · CEFR B2 · American English · Informal

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

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

- Don't get cute with me—just answer the question honestly.
- The lawyer tried a cute trick to distract the jury, but the judge quickly intervened to keep the trial on track.

### 4. elegant and simple

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

a clever and simple way to solve a problem.

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

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

## Examples

- That puppy is so cute when it sleeps.
- She bought a cute little dress for her niece's first birthday party.
- While the marketing campaign relied on cute, animated characters to appeal to children, the underlying message of the film was surprisingly sophisticated and mature.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.