Twee
Adjective
- Excessively or affectedly quaint, pretty, or sentimental.
Example Sentences
“Mary Beth had a fascination with all things twee, such as her wardrobe filled with polka dots and sweater sets.”
“The floral porcelain tea set was a twee addition to his kitchenware.”
“Everything in her bedroom had a feminine, twee quality.”
Word Origin
British English, early 20th century
Why this word?
This word is a very recent addition to the English language, stemming from a childish pronunciation of the word “sweet.” In 2014, James Parker wrote about the “Twee Revolution” in “The Atlantic.” He bemoaned touchstones of the twee aesthetic that were popular at the time, such as Wes Anderson movies, men with exaggerated mustaches, actress Zooey Deschanel’s quirky public persona, and the band Belle and Sebastian. The “twee aesthetic” became very popular on the microblogging social media site Tumblr in the 2010s, but its roots are in ’60s and ’70s fashion.
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