twee

Definition

Overly quaint, dainty, cute or nice.

Etymology

From a childish pronunciation of sweet. The Oxford English Dictionary records the first use in 1905 in Punch.

Example Sentences

• "Those Beatrix Potter animals are a little twee for my taste."
• "Despite the fact that the designs were all a bit twee […] they stood out a mile in the market place at that time."
• "Forget the clichéd image of Brigadoon and shortbread tins, the dreadfully twee tartan tat and Celtic kitsch that, sadly, still exists in the 21st century, and is too often passed off as a genuine Highland experience."