cute

UK: /ˈkjuːt/ US: /kjut/ ,(kyo̅o̅t)

Inflections of 'cute' (adj):

cuter

adj comparative

cutest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

cute /kyut/   adj., cut•er, cut•est. 

1. charmingly attractive, esp. in a pert or dainty way:
   a cute baby.
2. mentally keen;
   clever;
   shrewd:
   That was a cute move, getting the boss to back you.

cute•ly, adv. 
cute•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cute  (kyo̅o̅t), adj., cut•er, cut•est, adv., n. 
adj.  

1. attractive, esp. in a dainty way;
   pleasingly pretty:
   a cute child; a cute little apartment.
2. affectedly or mincingly pretty or clever;
   precious:
   The child has acquired some intolerably cute mannerisms.
3. mentally keen;
   clever;
   shrewd.

adv. 

4. Informal Terms in a cute, charming, or amusing way;
   cutely:
   In this type of movie the boy and girl always meet cute.

n. 

5. Informal Terms the cutes, self-consciously cute mannerisms or appeal;
   affected coyness:
   The young actress has a bad case of the cutes.

• aphetic variant of acute 1615–25

cute′ly, adv. 
cute′ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cute / kjuːt/ adjective

1. appealing or attractive, esp in a pretty way
2. (of a person) good looking
3. affecting cleverness or prettiness
4. clever; shrewd

Etymology: 18th Century (in the sense: clever): shortened from acute

ˈcutely adverb

ˈcuteness noun