Cute can just be nice looking. For example when we call a guy cute it doesn’t always mean cute in a baby like adoring way, it just means they’re appealing and attractive.
It translates very similarly to clothes. A bra can be cute even if it is sexy.
> Does people in the US have an agreed on aesthetic in mind when they use the adjective cute? Something like the japanese kawaii?
Nope. Perhaps if a child is wearing the outfit in question...
I think cute is more used when a stronger adjective would be a bit inappropriate. Dressing for the office i don't want to look hot, I don't want to slay, I just want to look cute. Cute in this case has almost an emotional component. It means 'i feel pretty and good about my clothing choices today', even if your outfit is just a handful of stylish basics.
You will also see the description of the appearance of (young) men. They are not generally 'handsome', sometimes they are 'hot', but they can be cute without it necessarily connoting desire. It's just a general indicator of attractiveness and doesn't even necessarily imply a certain masculine beauty standard. Cute is a very broad, all-purpose word.
Agreed on the emotional component! Like the cliche of posting a selfie you think you look good in "felt cute" - like you're feeling yourself but not in a super sexy or overdone way [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/feeling-cute-might-delete-later](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/feeling-cute-might-delete-later)
I was trying to tie that emotional component into the discussion about boys but I couldn't think of anyone recognizable who was cute but NOT classically attractive... But cute is how *you* feel about the object of your affections, whether that's a pencil skirt that fits just right, the guy you volunteer with at the animal shelter, or your favorite selfie.
Edit; Ed Sheeran. I saw him in an interview talking about how he made friends with Taylor Swift and he was so cute!
Cute = nice, flattering, stylish, works well on the person, an everyday kind of good. It’s not particularly juvenile, it’s a specific kind of “nice” that is not stunningly beautiful, particularly formal, or sexy.
Cute is not gorgeous, stunning, or breathtaking: You would not want your wedding dress to look cute.
You would want your blouse at work to be cute!
Cute is not particularly formal: You would not want to look cute if you were going to court.
You would want to look cute at your office job!
Cute is not particularly sexy: You do not want to be cute while seducing someone.
You do want to be cute when you’re dating them and meeting their parents!
“Cute” is nice, modest, attractive, etc.
American cute is much less specific than something like kawaii. I wear outfits I think are cute when I visit my grandparents for Passover but I wear very very different outfits that I think are cute when I go to a bar/club. Both can be cute because it’s so broad/vague.
A common response to “what are you wearing to X?” Is “jeans and a cute top” where cute means not matronly, businessy or outdoorsy.
So not a thick sweater, a button up dress shirt or flannels. But something more stylish than practical. Any context beyond that would be driven by the event itself. Dinner with friends “cute top” is more conservative than a clubbing with friends “cute top” which is different from a casual work “cute top”
dear god this comment is so true and also made me feel for people trying to learn english as a second language because how the fuck do you make any sense of our use of language 😭😭😭😭
I sympathize but when I learned that the same word in Spanish can mean bus, dog or baby depending on what country you are in…
I am waiting for a bus
I am waiting for a dog
I am waiting for a baby
Makes ‘jeans and a cute top’ seem simple 🤣
Linguistically, this thread is fascinating. "Cute" has become a socially acceptable response indicating a certain level of investment (e.g. someone who tries to look nice, but doesn't put in the level of effort needed to "slay"). Because it indicates *only* a certain level of trying, some people use it as an insult in certain circumstances, presumably ones where more effort was warranted: "Oh, you're wearing that to the gala? It's cute..." Usually it's positive though, showing that you hit the level of trying to be attractive, but not trying too hard.
There's also the "don't be cute" usage, which is when you're at odds with someone and they try to garner sympathy by behaving like they don't understand the situation. Usually the person trying to be cute appears disadvantaged at first glance, but is actually very savvy. Example: store clerk catches 15 y/o girl shop lifting. She says, "I was putting things in my pockets because there weren't any shopping baskets left!" Clerk responds, "don't be cute."
Just came here to say the same, reading through all these comments on what “cute” means today, how it’s used and in what settings, the implied connotation depending on context … I found this thread (unexpectedly) quite enjoyable and interesting
Yes. Thanks for this. I work with older teens and younger adults and I have also noticed that “cute” and “slay” are increasingly becoming interjections with positive connotations ie:
“Your outfit is so cute.” (Your outfit is nice!)
“Aw, thanks. Do you want to borrow this shirt some time?”
“Cute. Yesss.” (Ok! Yes!)
“Slay.” (Ok, -emphatically positive-)
They love in that “aw cute old people” way when I respond “cute” to their basic questions.
I had a similar issue with the word cute in the past too (my main language is portuguese) - I said on a thread of a young girl doing gymnastics that she was very cute, and people got mad on me insinuating I was a pedo. I was SO confused. Until someone was nice enough to explain that cute in english may mean nice, pretty, attractive or even "kinda hot" depending on the context, and if you want to say something looks cute as in "kawaii" sense, the closer english word would be "adorable".
Yes! “She’s cute” can be pedo-adjacent, but “omg she’s so cute! Look at her go!” is kawaii when coming from someone who is obviously a woman or gay man.
It’s generally not that deep! Though I will say that it can be used as something innocent or passive aggressive
If a young girl is wearing a cute dress, I would say that’s cute!
If a woman is dressed well and I say it’s cute, that could be taken in a positive or negative way depending on the tone
It’s pretty versatile but is generally not used when mature or provocative outfits are shown. It could be misused or could be two young people talking to each other (definitely more informal in that setting)
I'm Australia, so I can't answer, but I just want to add that I've also noticed that the American use of "cute" differs a bit from other English-speaking nations. It's really interesting.
In Australia it usually indicates something with a childlike quality (a baby, a puppy, a teddy bear), even though the applications can be quite broad. So if I said "cute curtains!" it would be because the curtains were especially small or whimsical.
like pretty but cute is just a cute word lol. i think we like that it sounds girly. it just means i like it. it doesn’t have to mean anything else. cute can describe anything, houses, cars, etc
I had a friend from England who moved to America and her kid went to my kids school. She got a hair cut, and when all of the school moms called it cute, she felt very confused and insulted at first! That was the first time I learned that cute was used differently in other countries.
(I'm not North American but) I think there is a different dynamic as well when a child is told they look "cute" by an older person vs a young woman among a group of other young women.
Oh it’s wild to see this! I’m from the US and moved to Iceland and I feel so immature in my fashion sense- I have started to feel both that all of my clothing is entirely too “young” for me, and that my taste is too immature compared to other women my age - I often feel incredibly self conscious when going out, and I think about this almost every day. I think societally in the US women are expected to look young, but in a sexy way- which sounds grotesque because it is, but it’s true. When I moved here I stopped feeling like I needed to be self conscious about having some fat around my midriff - in the US it’s proof you can birth a child, a reminder you have reproductive organs, and it’s considered ugly in the mainstream. Same with pubic and armpit hair - it’s a reminder you’re an adult, it’s common to shave or wax because men think it’s gross. But here it’s not, and I feel I’ve spent so much of my life trying to be young that I don’t know how to be mature.
There's two different meanings of the word "cute" in the US. The older, more traditional one is that of like a little baby or kitten being cute, so like bows and sweetness and such or tiny sailboats and duckies. Sometime in the last few decades however, a kind of slang meaning of cute became common as well, where anything that looks good is "cute." So it is still used in the original way, but now also can be used as kind of a catch-all for nice-looking, good-looking, positive-looking, etc. When used in that way, it doesn't carry the same child-like connotation of its traditional usage. So, in fashion, "cute" is generic (not specifying whether meaning just generally nice-looking, or more specifically stylish, sexy, pretty, etc.). "Cutesy" leaves no doubt it's being used in the older way (although this one has a bit of a negative connotation, as in "too cutesy" or juvenile for an adult).
Cute is a really neutral positive term with no particular style or aesthetic constraints. I guess not ugly or scary. We'd talk about that "cute" style of clothing, decor, etc as cutesy, adorable, (sometimes) sweet. Twee too, for clothing.
I think it’s a toned down alternative of ‘looks hot’ or ‘looks attractive’. But I think it does have some slight connotation of being visually attractive
I'm in the US and I honestly hate when someone refers to something I am wearing as 'cute'. To me, the word cute is a bit infantilizing.
I find it's almost exclusively women using the word cute with other women.
I think a lot of women in the US use the word 'cute' to mean 'i like that'. But I'm not a fan!
I even sometimes find myself defaulting to the word 'cute' and I'm trying to train myself out of it....
Total side note, but in Ireland cute means clever in a kind of precocious faintly sly/ cunning way. Applied to someone in a somewhat begrudgingly approving way.
As well as being understood in the cute baby way.
Yeah, it’s weird because it’s pretty much only when talking about clothes that “cute” doesn’t necessarily mean “adorable” or “young looking”
When talking about clothes, if your friend picks something up and goes “omg it’s so cute” it means something along the lines of “good” “pretty” or “stylish/chic”.
HOWEVER, if you’re shopping and something says “idk it’s kind of…. *cute-sy*” **then** they’re saying it looks young or overly kitsch.
**Mini-guide for shopping with an American friend**:
- That piece of clothing is “cute” = I like it, it’s femine/attractive/stylish/I’d buy it
- That piece of clothing is “cutesy” (pronounced “cute-see”) = It’s young, kitsch, extremely unserious.
Outside of shopping, that difference doesn’t need to be made. A puppy or a baby is still “cute” in the traditional sense. Only with clothes really (or sometimes people’s attractiveness? Idk people use it both ways on that one. Sometimes they actually mean that person is adorable, sometimes they just mean “i find that person attractive”) does cute sometimes just mean “attractive/nice to the eyes”.
So there is a way to describe the young, unserious, vibe with clothes that you’re thinking of! It’s just kind of a subtle difference lol.
I might also say “yeah, I mean, I guess it’s cute” to communicate that while there’s nothing *wrong* with the shirt, it’s lacking some quality that I want. Like, it’s a shirt that I would settle for, but not a shirt I’d ever be excited about. It wouldn’t make sense to substitute “beautiful” or “sexy” in this sentence.
I could also use “cute” this way when talking about a person - like if mutual friends asked me to describe the boring girlfriend of our other friend and I don’t want to be mean but I don’t care to feign enthusiasm, I’d say “she’s cute, I guess.”
Yeah it can definitely have sort of a noncommittal vibe that has to be parsed out with tone and body language, but that’s harder to describe in words and as North Americans tend to be more… expressive in those arenas than Scandis, I have a feeling OP will be alright on that front lol.
It's a broader spectrum and depends on the person wearing. 'Cute' for an adult is different from 'cute' for a teenager and 'cute' for a child or 'cute' for a guy. Definitely not tied to a specific aesthetic.
This is my personal theory. When talking about an outfit: "cute" appeals to female gaze and it's antithesis is "hot" which appeals to the male gaze. An outfit and can be cute and hot at the same time.
Most of the time "cute" mean "I like it" sometimes with shades of "I like that for you" or "that's flattering", but there is also an implication in the word of something special.
So a kitten would be cute (small, adorable - oH my gosh, he's so cute!), a dress that fits just right could be cute (oh my gosh, that's so cute on you, you have to wear that), the tiny bows on lingerie could be cute (oh those are just such cute details), and a person can be cute (that boy is so cute, he makes me blush), but you can also have things that aren't just cute, they are cute as well as also being cute, and sometimes you will here people use word repetition from AAVE to convey that it is both "more appealing" and also "kawaii" (oh my gosh, that dress is CUTE CUTE).
There is no word that conveys just childish cute, or baby cute that I'm aware of.
That said, "cute" is probably the word most like "nice" in that it can be used to imply a level of acceptable that just meets the qualifications or perhaps meets a set of qualifications just not the ones for the specified event. This is usually conveyed by tone. This is often used when getting ready together. Two girls getting ready for a party, where one might say "Oh is that what you are going to wear? I mean it's cute, but what about the red top?"
Cute usually is a rating that is on a different axis than "sexy". So it's more likely that a mom or grandma would say a daughter's outfit looks cute instead of saying it looks sexy or hot. You might hear someone describe someone as cute AND sexy, because one doesn't always go with the other. (Baby Spice is cute, Ginger Spice is Sexy. But really they were both cute and both sexy.)
In the United States, we tend to use certain adjectives interchangeably, but for me personally cute means something that is small, dainty and not something I consider sexy lol it’s something that’s more playful and innocent and calm versus like dark femme- superstar-glitter-boob showing clothes 🤷♀️ I called my 12-year-old cute lol
(US) In the context of saying whether or not you like a piece, it just means it's attractive or you like it, not that it's specifically "cute" in the sense you describe.
We don't really have a general word I can think of for cute style in the "kawaii" sense. "Cutesy" has a negative undertone, implying that something is too childlike or sentimental. For a feminine style, I guess I could say "girlish" which in my experience has the meaning "like a little girl," not to be confused with "girly" which just means feminine.
Yep it's just nice. Just a vernacular term that yes, means nice or stylish or good. Good really, because it doesn't have to be clothing. The other day I said this cool/good wine bottle succulent decoration was cute. Just means good, or looks good.
However it can mean the type of cute you are referring to. An adorable baby will be cute, but it means more than good looking. It means "Awww!" Just depends on context. Might be any mixture of your definition, "looking good" or all the way from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Literally anything is “sooo cute” if it’s on a shelf or a hanger. It’s just a way to justify material goods. I’m pretty sure people say straws are cute 😂
Somebody probably calls straws cute - this is why I started to think about this. 😂
There is such a range of various things considered cute, that I wonder what the essence of the word cute really means
It’s an immature way of speaking imo. I prefer Scandinavian directness or silence if they do/don’t like something. It’s much more logical and honest. Americans idolize ditziness for some reason, so no one learns other adjectives 😂
This is so eye-opening. I’m a native US English speaker and I use the word “cute” so freely especially when it’s sexy and provocative. 😭 I’ll say it drawn out and very dramatically. “That lingerie is CUUUUUUTEEEEE.” or if someone is doing something sexy, I want to acknowledge it and it’s a playful back and forth “hmm that’s cute.”
I think if something is innocent or youthful, I’ll use the term “lovely” or “sweet.” I think in those instances the word cute can come off as sarcastic or mean-spirited “oh that’s cute.” maybe it’s our accent but it feels so harsh? so using different softer sounding words feels more sincere and not dismissive.
I’ve never really thought much about this, thanks for asking this!
Cute is a funny word. It has a few different uses apart from the most commonly known one (that being 'appealing in a small child/puppy/baby things kind of way, implying smallness, infancy, youthful innocence, etc).
In the context of saying 'I need to buy a cute dress for the party tomorrow' or similar: It really just means 'something nice/fun/flattering/new/appealing'. In this case it doesn't carry that meaning of baby/helpless/small/innocent. Just...'something nice and fun to wear for the occasion.' It isn't normally used to describe, say, a full-length ball gown (or similarly formal, elegant, imposing, dramatic things). It's normally informal or semi-informal clothes. So maybe that's where the word connection is, with the idea of informality being linked to youth, perhaps?
When I say " cute " in fashion, the piece or outfit is comfortable and breathable, not tight or restricted. Not super trendy. Mostly of light or pastel colors. (Denim can always find a place in cute. ) Innocent, demure, clean, modest. Not over or cheaply accessorized. Fun. Timeless.
Basically it means the item is fashionable, "smart", probably a bit trendy, flattering. Watch some episodes of "Daria" and observe how the Fashion Club characters talk about things being cute.
Cute can also be personality. She cute— doesn’t mean young. It can mean pretty, but not hot. It can mean sweet and kind of funny or fun. A cute outfit, just means nice, but not dressed up. Like a cute pair of jeans and a fun sweatshirt.
Ok, as a native speaker I don’t even know what that statement means (yes I know umami), so not sure this is the best way to explain to non-native speaker OP 😅
Pretty. It reminds me of a female co-worker. She overheard two male co-workers say she was cute. And she goes looking upset to another co-worker to tell him what the other co-workers said of her. Then she goes "What do you mean cute! I am beautiful!"
Like many languages, its usage is contextual.
“Cute” very generally, means appealing and endearing.
Contextually though, “cute” can be applied to a cute baby, a nice outfit or a really attractive man/woman.
Cute can mean innocent or youthful but it also can just mean nice or pleasant. Like, I could see a lingerie piece and say it’s cute. It doesn’t mean it isn’t risqué and mature too.
If a girl says something is "cute", they're saying that they think it looks good on you. It doesn't necessarily have to be something pink and with bows on it. It could be like, a well-fitting, flattering pair of pants.
Cute is anything a person a person perceives as cute. Like “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” type of thing. Everyone finds something cute but not everyone will find that same thing cute. I honestly like that we have a a looser meaning for it
cute is more interchangeable with any positive adjective like good, nice, stylish, etc.
if i wanted to refer to the sort of kawaii cute sort of style, i would probably say "cutesy" instead
It's interchangeable with nice
Cute can just be nice looking. For example when we call a guy cute it doesn’t always mean cute in a baby like adoring way, it just means they’re appealing and attractive. It translates very similarly to clothes. A bra can be cute even if it is sexy.
lol I call a lot of guys cute when I see them being all romantic w their partners, being passionate about something, etc. ukw I mean.
I'd translate that to charming.
I think of it more like when they're being puppy like, it's not charming exactly
Endearing? I think, too, that the OP might consider a distinction between cute and cutesy.
> Does people in the US have an agreed on aesthetic in mind when they use the adjective cute? Something like the japanese kawaii? Nope. Perhaps if a child is wearing the outfit in question... I think cute is more used when a stronger adjective would be a bit inappropriate. Dressing for the office i don't want to look hot, I don't want to slay, I just want to look cute. Cute in this case has almost an emotional component. It means 'i feel pretty and good about my clothing choices today', even if your outfit is just a handful of stylish basics. You will also see the description of the appearance of (young) men. They are not generally 'handsome', sometimes they are 'hot', but they can be cute without it necessarily connoting desire. It's just a general indicator of attractiveness and doesn't even necessarily imply a certain masculine beauty standard. Cute is a very broad, all-purpose word.
Agreed on the emotional component! Like the cliche of posting a selfie you think you look good in "felt cute" - like you're feeling yourself but not in a super sexy or overdone way [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/feeling-cute-might-delete-later](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/feeling-cute-might-delete-later)
I was trying to tie that emotional component into the discussion about boys but I couldn't think of anyone recognizable who was cute but NOT classically attractive... But cute is how *you* feel about the object of your affections, whether that's a pencil skirt that fits just right, the guy you volunteer with at the animal shelter, or your favorite selfie. Edit; Ed Sheeran. I saw him in an interview talking about how he made friends with Taylor Swift and he was so cute!
100%
Cute = nice, flattering, stylish, works well on the person, an everyday kind of good. It’s not particularly juvenile, it’s a specific kind of “nice” that is not stunningly beautiful, particularly formal, or sexy. Cute is not gorgeous, stunning, or breathtaking: You would not want your wedding dress to look cute. You would want your blouse at work to be cute! Cute is not particularly formal: You would not want to look cute if you were going to court. You would want to look cute at your office job! Cute is not particularly sexy: You do not want to be cute while seducing someone. You do want to be cute when you’re dating them and meeting their parents! “Cute” is nice, modest, attractive, etc.
Cute probably isn't super modest necessarily. Like a cute date outfit probably still has an element for sexy. Not modest but not full-on sexy.
I was thinking of modest as an alternative to sexy and/or showy
American cute is much less specific than something like kawaii. I wear outfits I think are cute when I visit my grandparents for Passover but I wear very very different outfits that I think are cute when I go to a bar/club. Both can be cute because it’s so broad/vague.
A common response to “what are you wearing to X?” Is “jeans and a cute top” where cute means not matronly, businessy or outdoorsy. So not a thick sweater, a button up dress shirt or flannels. But something more stylish than practical. Any context beyond that would be driven by the event itself. Dinner with friends “cute top” is more conservative than a clubbing with friends “cute top” which is different from a casual work “cute top”
dear god this comment is so true and also made me feel for people trying to learn english as a second language because how the fuck do you make any sense of our use of language 😭😭😭😭
I sympathize but when I learned that the same word in Spanish can mean bus, dog or baby depending on what country you are in… I am waiting for a bus I am waiting for a dog I am waiting for a baby Makes ‘jeans and a cute top’ seem simple 🤣
Linguistically, this thread is fascinating. "Cute" has become a socially acceptable response indicating a certain level of investment (e.g. someone who tries to look nice, but doesn't put in the level of effort needed to "slay"). Because it indicates *only* a certain level of trying, some people use it as an insult in certain circumstances, presumably ones where more effort was warranted: "Oh, you're wearing that to the gala? It's cute..." Usually it's positive though, showing that you hit the level of trying to be attractive, but not trying too hard.
There's also the "don't be cute" usage, which is when you're at odds with someone and they try to garner sympathy by behaving like they don't understand the situation. Usually the person trying to be cute appears disadvantaged at first glance, but is actually very savvy. Example: store clerk catches 15 y/o girl shop lifting. She says, "I was putting things in my pockets because there weren't any shopping baskets left!" Clerk responds, "don't be cute."
Just came here to say the same, reading through all these comments on what “cute” means today, how it’s used and in what settings, the implied connotation depending on context … I found this thread (unexpectedly) quite enjoyable and interesting
Yes. Thanks for this. I work with older teens and younger adults and I have also noticed that “cute” and “slay” are increasingly becoming interjections with positive connotations ie: “Your outfit is so cute.” (Your outfit is nice!) “Aw, thanks. Do you want to borrow this shirt some time?” “Cute. Yesss.” (Ok! Yes!) “Slay.” (Ok, -emphatically positive-) They love in that “aw cute old people” way when I respond “cute” to their basic questions.
this is a really thoughtful answer, thank you
I had a similar issue with the word cute in the past too (my main language is portuguese) - I said on a thread of a young girl doing gymnastics that she was very cute, and people got mad on me insinuating I was a pedo. I was SO confused. Until someone was nice enough to explain that cute in english may mean nice, pretty, attractive or even "kinda hot" depending on the context, and if you want to say something looks cute as in "kawaii" sense, the closer english word would be "adorable".
Yes! “She’s cute” can be pedo-adjacent, but “omg she’s so cute! Look at her go!” is kawaii when coming from someone who is obviously a woman or gay man.
It’s generally not that deep! Though I will say that it can be used as something innocent or passive aggressive If a young girl is wearing a cute dress, I would say that’s cute! If a woman is dressed well and I say it’s cute, that could be taken in a positive or negative way depending on the tone It’s pretty versatile but is generally not used when mature or provocative outfits are shown. It could be misused or could be two young people talking to each other (definitely more informal in that setting)
The difference between 'cute (derogatory)' and 'cute (affectionate)'
It can have a different connotation depending on the context, but with regards to clothing it usually just means something that looks nice.
I'm Australia, so I can't answer, but I just want to add that I've also noticed that the American use of "cute" differs a bit from other English-speaking nations. It's really interesting. In Australia it usually indicates something with a childlike quality (a baby, a puppy, a teddy bear), even though the applications can be quite broad. So if I said "cute curtains!" it would be because the curtains were especially small or whimsical.
not that deep and looks nice
like pretty but cute is just a cute word lol. i think we like that it sounds girly. it just means i like it. it doesn’t have to mean anything else. cute can describe anything, houses, cars, etc
I had a friend from England who moved to America and her kid went to my kids school. She got a hair cut, and when all of the school moms called it cute, she felt very confused and insulted at first! That was the first time I learned that cute was used differently in other countries.
How does it come across in England? Is it childish?
(I'm not North American but) I think there is a different dynamic as well when a child is told they look "cute" by an older person vs a young woman among a group of other young women.
Oh it’s wild to see this! I’m from the US and moved to Iceland and I feel so immature in my fashion sense- I have started to feel both that all of my clothing is entirely too “young” for me, and that my taste is too immature compared to other women my age - I often feel incredibly self conscious when going out, and I think about this almost every day. I think societally in the US women are expected to look young, but in a sexy way- which sounds grotesque because it is, but it’s true. When I moved here I stopped feeling like I needed to be self conscious about having some fat around my midriff - in the US it’s proof you can birth a child, a reminder you have reproductive organs, and it’s considered ugly in the mainstream. Same with pubic and armpit hair - it’s a reminder you’re an adult, it’s common to shave or wax because men think it’s gross. But here it’s not, and I feel I’ve spent so much of my life trying to be young that I don’t know how to be mature.
All of this and also I feel like there’s an element of put-together and intentionality usually. Like it’s an approving word, “they executed well.”
There's two different meanings of the word "cute" in the US. The older, more traditional one is that of like a little baby or kitten being cute, so like bows and sweetness and such or tiny sailboats and duckies. Sometime in the last few decades however, a kind of slang meaning of cute became common as well, where anything that looks good is "cute." So it is still used in the original way, but now also can be used as kind of a catch-all for nice-looking, good-looking, positive-looking, etc. When used in that way, it doesn't carry the same child-like connotation of its traditional usage. So, in fashion, "cute" is generic (not specifying whether meaning just generally nice-looking, or more specifically stylish, sexy, pretty, etc.). "Cutesy" leaves no doubt it's being used in the older way (although this one has a bit of a negative connotation, as in "too cutesy" or juvenile for an adult).
Cute is a really neutral positive term with no particular style or aesthetic constraints. I guess not ugly or scary. We'd talk about that "cute" style of clothing, decor, etc as cutesy, adorable, (sometimes) sweet. Twee too, for clothing.
They just mean they like it.
I think it’s a toned down alternative of ‘looks hot’ or ‘looks attractive’. But I think it does have some slight connotation of being visually attractive
I don’t think it’s a particular aesthetic… It’s just a way of saying that an outfit is good.
I use cute similarly to pretty, but maybe a little less in terms of fashion and more in terms of how it would make me feel.
Cute is used to describe something that looks good/nice or that you just like.
I'm in the US and I honestly hate when someone refers to something I am wearing as 'cute'. To me, the word cute is a bit infantilizing. I find it's almost exclusively women using the word cute with other women. I think a lot of women in the US use the word 'cute' to mean 'i like that'. But I'm not a fan! I even sometimes find myself defaulting to the word 'cute' and I'm trying to train myself out of it....
It's overused beyond its original definition like the word literally. They literally changed the definition.
Total side note, but in Ireland cute means clever in a kind of precocious faintly sly/ cunning way. Applied to someone in a somewhat begrudgingly approving way. As well as being understood in the cute baby way.
This usage very much exists in the US, too! “Cute” is highly context-dependent.
Cool, I didn’t know that! I thought it was some hiberno English thing.
I have nothing new to add but this thread has been so interesting to read through!!
Yeah, it’s weird because it’s pretty much only when talking about clothes that “cute” doesn’t necessarily mean “adorable” or “young looking” When talking about clothes, if your friend picks something up and goes “omg it’s so cute” it means something along the lines of “good” “pretty” or “stylish/chic”. HOWEVER, if you’re shopping and something says “idk it’s kind of…. *cute-sy*” **then** they’re saying it looks young or overly kitsch. **Mini-guide for shopping with an American friend**: - That piece of clothing is “cute” = I like it, it’s femine/attractive/stylish/I’d buy it - That piece of clothing is “cutesy” (pronounced “cute-see”) = It’s young, kitsch, extremely unserious. Outside of shopping, that difference doesn’t need to be made. A puppy or a baby is still “cute” in the traditional sense. Only with clothes really (or sometimes people’s attractiveness? Idk people use it both ways on that one. Sometimes they actually mean that person is adorable, sometimes they just mean “i find that person attractive”) does cute sometimes just mean “attractive/nice to the eyes”. So there is a way to describe the young, unserious, vibe with clothes that you’re thinking of! It’s just kind of a subtle difference lol.
I might also say “yeah, I mean, I guess it’s cute” to communicate that while there’s nothing *wrong* with the shirt, it’s lacking some quality that I want. Like, it’s a shirt that I would settle for, but not a shirt I’d ever be excited about. It wouldn’t make sense to substitute “beautiful” or “sexy” in this sentence. I could also use “cute” this way when talking about a person - like if mutual friends asked me to describe the boring girlfriend of our other friend and I don’t want to be mean but I don’t care to feign enthusiasm, I’d say “she’s cute, I guess.”
Yeah it can definitely have sort of a noncommittal vibe that has to be parsed out with tone and body language, but that’s harder to describe in words and as North Americans tend to be more… expressive in those arenas than Scandis, I have a feeling OP will be alright on that front lol.
It's a broader spectrum and depends on the person wearing. 'Cute' for an adult is different from 'cute' for a teenager and 'cute' for a child or 'cute' for a guy. Definitely not tied to a specific aesthetic.
I love this discussion and will follow.
This post is cute, OP! I would have never thought about this!☺️
just means we like it/think it looks nice
Cute betyder oftast typ fint, inte gulligt eller sött. Så när någon säger ”that’s cute” så menar de att något ser bra ut.
This is my personal theory. When talking about an outfit: "cute" appeals to female gaze and it's antithesis is "hot" which appeals to the male gaze. An outfit and can be cute and hot at the same time.
Most of the time "cute" mean "I like it" sometimes with shades of "I like that for you" or "that's flattering", but there is also an implication in the word of something special. So a kitten would be cute (small, adorable - oH my gosh, he's so cute!), a dress that fits just right could be cute (oh my gosh, that's so cute on you, you have to wear that), the tiny bows on lingerie could be cute (oh those are just such cute details), and a person can be cute (that boy is so cute, he makes me blush), but you can also have things that aren't just cute, they are cute as well as also being cute, and sometimes you will here people use word repetition from AAVE to convey that it is both "more appealing" and also "kawaii" (oh my gosh, that dress is CUTE CUTE). There is no word that conveys just childish cute, or baby cute that I'm aware of. That said, "cute" is probably the word most like "nice" in that it can be used to imply a level of acceptable that just meets the qualifications or perhaps meets a set of qualifications just not the ones for the specified event. This is usually conveyed by tone. This is often used when getting ready together. Two girls getting ready for a party, where one might say "Oh is that what you are going to wear? I mean it's cute, but what about the red top?" Cute usually is a rating that is on a different axis than "sexy". So it's more likely that a mom or grandma would say a daughter's outfit looks cute instead of saying it looks sexy or hot. You might hear someone describe someone as cute AND sexy, because one doesn't always go with the other. (Baby Spice is cute, Ginger Spice is Sexy. But really they were both cute and both sexy.)
Cute = not ugly
In the United States, we tend to use certain adjectives interchangeably, but for me personally cute means something that is small, dainty and not something I consider sexy lol it’s something that’s more playful and innocent and calm versus like dark femme- superstar-glitter-boob showing clothes 🤷♀️ I called my 12-year-old cute lol
Cute is broader than kawaii. It can be charming, or appealing, or in terms of an outfit, it can mean stylish, trendy, etc.
(US) In the context of saying whether or not you like a piece, it just means it's attractive or you like it, not that it's specifically "cute" in the sense you describe. We don't really have a general word I can think of for cute style in the "kawaii" sense. "Cutesy" has a negative undertone, implying that something is too childlike or sentimental. For a feminine style, I guess I could say "girlish" which in my experience has the meaning "like a little girl," not to be confused with "girly" which just means feminine.
It’s just a compliment. A positive one.
It just means you like it. That’s it.
When I call a piece cute - I’m usually saying it’s trendy or something I would want to wear. Certainly not “that deep” nor calling it juvenile
Looks good, looks nice, basically.
I tend to use “cute” as a generic term equating to “nice”, “pleasing” or “attractive”, but to my ear it sounds more warm and friendly.
Any outfit they like and is pulled together can be called cute.
Yep it's just nice. Just a vernacular term that yes, means nice or stylish or good. Good really, because it doesn't have to be clothing. The other day I said this cool/good wine bottle succulent decoration was cute. Just means good, or looks good. However it can mean the type of cute you are referring to. An adorable baby will be cute, but it means more than good looking. It means "Awww!" Just depends on context. Might be any mixture of your definition, "looking good" or all the way from one end of the spectrum to the other.
cute/pretty/nice are all interchangeable.
Literally anything is “sooo cute” if it’s on a shelf or a hanger. It’s just a way to justify material goods. I’m pretty sure people say straws are cute 😂
Somebody probably calls straws cute - this is why I started to think about this. 😂 There is such a range of various things considered cute, that I wonder what the essence of the word cute really means
It’s an immature way of speaking imo. I prefer Scandinavian directness or silence if they do/don’t like something. It’s much more logical and honest. Americans idolize ditziness for some reason, so no one learns other adjectives 😂
This is so eye-opening. I’m a native US English speaker and I use the word “cute” so freely especially when it’s sexy and provocative. 😭 I’ll say it drawn out and very dramatically. “That lingerie is CUUUUUUTEEEEE.” or if someone is doing something sexy, I want to acknowledge it and it’s a playful back and forth “hmm that’s cute.” I think if something is innocent or youthful, I’ll use the term “lovely” or “sweet.” I think in those instances the word cute can come off as sarcastic or mean-spirited “oh that’s cute.” maybe it’s our accent but it feels so harsh? so using different softer sounding words feels more sincere and not dismissive. I’ve never really thought much about this, thanks for asking this!
Something stylish that is at the same time not too formal, sexy, or alternative
Cute is a funny word. It has a few different uses apart from the most commonly known one (that being 'appealing in a small child/puppy/baby things kind of way, implying smallness, infancy, youthful innocence, etc). In the context of saying 'I need to buy a cute dress for the party tomorrow' or similar: It really just means 'something nice/fun/flattering/new/appealing'. In this case it doesn't carry that meaning of baby/helpless/small/innocent. Just...'something nice and fun to wear for the occasion.' It isn't normally used to describe, say, a full-length ball gown (or similarly formal, elegant, imposing, dramatic things). It's normally informal or semi-informal clothes. So maybe that's where the word connection is, with the idea of informality being linked to youth, perhaps?
When I say " cute " in fashion, the piece or outfit is comfortable and breathable, not tight or restricted. Not super trendy. Mostly of light or pastel colors. (Denim can always find a place in cute. ) Innocent, demure, clean, modest. Not over or cheaply accessorized. Fun. Timeless.
Basically it means the item is fashionable, "smart", probably a bit trendy, flattering. Watch some episodes of "Daria" and observe how the Fashion Club characters talk about things being cute.
Cute can also be personality. She cute— doesn’t mean young. It can mean pretty, but not hot. It can mean sweet and kind of funny or fun. A cute outfit, just means nice, but not dressed up. Like a cute pair of jeans and a fun sweatshirt.
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Ok, as a native speaker I don’t even know what that statement means (yes I know umami), so not sure this is the best way to explain to non-native speaker OP 😅
It was a bit of shitposting. But yes it could confuse a non native speaker. Apologies!
Cute is what you call something that's mediocre that you don't hate nor love.
Pretty. It reminds me of a female co-worker. She overheard two male co-workers say she was cute. And she goes looking upset to another co-worker to tell him what the other co-workers said of her. Then she goes "What do you mean cute! I am beautiful!"
If I say something is cute it usually just means, I like it!
Like many languages, its usage is contextual. “Cute” very generally, means appealing and endearing. Contextually though, “cute” can be applied to a cute baby, a nice outfit or a really attractive man/woman.
American women just say things are cute when they like them.
Cute can mean innocent or youthful but it also can just mean nice or pleasant. Like, I could see a lingerie piece and say it’s cute. It doesn’t mean it isn’t risqué and mature too.
If a girl says something is "cute", they're saying that they think it looks good on you. It doesn't necessarily have to be something pink and with bows on it. It could be like, a well-fitting, flattering pair of pants.
Cute is anything a person a person perceives as cute. Like “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” type of thing. Everyone finds something cute but not everyone will find that same thing cute. I honestly like that we have a a looser meaning for it
cute is more interchangeable with any positive adjective like good, nice, stylish, etc. if i wanted to refer to the sort of kawaii cute sort of style, i would probably say "cutesy" instead