# quaint

/ˈkweɪnt/ (US) · /kwˈeɪnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/quaint
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. old-fashioned and charming

adjective · CEFR B2

attractive because it looks old-fashioned or belongs to the past.

For teachers: characterised by an attractive, old-fashioned quality that suggests a simpler time.

- We stayed in a quaint little cottage with a thatched roof and a rose garden.
- The village is famous for its quaint cobblestone streets and traditional shops that have remained unchanged for decades.

### 2. strange or unusual

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal

unusual or strange in a way that is interesting, though sometimes a bit silly.

For teachers: unusual or peculiar in appearance or character; sometimes used with a slightly condescending tone.

- He has some quaint ideas about how a business should be run.
- While the locals found the custom deeply meaningful, the tourists viewed the ceremony as a quaint relic of a bygone era.

### 3. clever or crafty

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

showing skill or being clever in a sneaky way.

For teachers: cunning or artfully contrived; used to describe something cleverly made or a person who is crafty.

- The old story spoke of a quaint fox who outsmarted the hunters.
- The poet employed a quaint device to mirror the structure of the sonnet, a technique rarely seen in modern verse.

## Examples

- We stayed in a quaint little cottage by the sea.
- The town is famous for its quaint cobblestone streets and traditional timber-framed houses.
- While the locals found the lack of modern infrastructure frustrating, tourists were charmed by the quaint atmosphere of the isolated mountain village.

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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.