cutien.
/ˈkjuːti/, U.S. /ˈkjudi/ slang (originally U.S.).
A cute person; esp. an attractive young woman. (In quot. 1768 the sense is ‘a superficially clever person’.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > pleasing appearance > [noun] > prettiness > specifically of woman > pretty girl or woman
primerolea1350
jolyvet1413
prim1509
nicebeceturc1520
bit of stuff?1553
nicebice1595
dabchick1612
rosebud1668
doll1778
living doll1785
a bit (also bundle) of muslin1823
a bit (also piece) of all right1895
bit of fluff1903
dolly1906
baby doll1908
cutiea1911
cutie-pie1920
kewpie1946
tchotchke1968
tchotchkeleh1985
1768 in A. Hare Georgian Theatre in Wessex (1958) iv. 72 Let shallow Cuties, who, in Love with Sound, Care not a Pin if Action's never found.
a1911 D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) II. viii. 204 It was the bartender. ‘Evening, cutie,’ said he. ‘What'll you have?’ ‘Some rye whiskey,’ replied Susan.
1923 R. D. Paine Comrades Rolling Ocean viii. 130 Her friends thought she was a cutey for turning the trick.
1927 ‘J. Barbican’ Confessions Rum-runner xiv. 149 He goes about with a high-stepping cutie who's ace-high on the face and figure.
1927 Daily Express 5 Dec. 13 His sweetheart, a ‘cabaret cutie’.
1930 Punch 12 Mar. 284/2 Only two flappers (‘cuties’, Percival whispered to me).
1945 W. Plomer Dorking Thigh 20 Just like a young cutie Between the wars.
Draft additions August 2007
cutie-pie n. and adj. (a) n. a cute person, a cutie (cf. sweetie-pie n. at sweetie n. Compounds); (b) adj. = cutesy adj.In quot. 1920 as the name of a pet cat.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > pleasing appearance > [noun] > prettiness > specifically of woman > pretty girl or woman
primerolea1350
jolyvet1413
prim1509
nicebeceturc1520
bit of stuff?1553
nicebice1595
dabchick1612
rosebud1668
doll1778
living doll1785
a bit (also bundle) of muslin1823
a bit (also piece) of all right1895
bit of fluff1903
dolly1906
baby doll1908
cutiea1911
cutie-pie1920
kewpie1946
tchotchke1968
tchotchkeleh1985
the world > action or operation > behaviour > affected behaviour or affectation > [adjective] > affectedly cute and clever
cutie-pie1940
cutesy1968
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > lack of simplicity > [adjective] > twee
artsy-craftsy1902
twee1905
cutie-pie1940
itsy-bitsy1958
cutesy1968
1920 Washington Post 11 Jan. (Mag.) 5/2 This cat..was named Kutipi, pronounced Cutie-Pie.
1940 D. Powell Angels on Toast (1989) ii. 22 Her hair was reddish gold tonight..and instead of the cutie-pie curls it was arranged in two plaits around her head.
1946 Port Arthur (Texas) News 18 Feb. 4/2 Locking paws with a cutie-pie or patting her knees under a cafe table.
1995 GQ Jan. 40/1 Despite the almost universal scorn for their cutie-pie, walking-against-the-wind antics, these relics [i.e. mimes] still clutter up any area closed to vehicular traffic.
2001 Heat 27 Oct. 77/1 An absolute cutie pie and a very happy kid.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1768