quaint

/kweint/

Thân thiện

The village has many quaint cottages with thatched roofs.

Definition

Adjective: 1. Attractively old-fashioned: Having an old-fashioned charm or appeal, often in a way that is pleasingly unusual or picturesque. This does not necessarily imply historical authenticity. 2. Unusual or strange in an interesting or pleasing way: Being odd, peculiar, or unfamiliar in a manner that is appealing, curious, or charming. 3. (Archaic) Cleverly made; skillfully devised.

Usage and Examples

• Attractively old-fashioned:
  • We stayed in a quaint cottage with a thatched roof.
  • The town square has a quaint old-fashioned charm.
• Unusual in a pleasing way:
  • The shop sold quaint souvenirs and local handicrafts.
  • He has a quaint way of speaking that I find endearing.
• Strange or odd (can be neutral or slightly negative):
  • Some of the customs described in the book seem rather quaint to modern readers.
  • It was a quaint and unexpected sight to see.

Advanced Usage

• "quaint notion/idea": An old-fashioned or charmingly naive belief or concept.
  • The idea that a letter is more personal than an email is now considered a quaint notion by many.
• Used to describe something that seems oddly out of place or time:
  • In the midst of the modern skyscrapers stood one quaint, historic building.

Variants and Related Words

• Quaintly (adverb): In a quaint manner.
  • The village was quaintly picturesque.
• Quaintness (noun): The quality of being quaint.
  • The quaintness of the seaside town attracts many tourists.

Synonyms

• Picturesque: Visually attractive, especially in a charming or quaint way.
• Old-fashioned: Characteristic of a past era.
• Charming: Pleasant, attractive.
• Curious: Strange or unusual.
• Whimsical: Playfully quaint or fanciful.

Antonyms

• Modern
• Futuristic
• Ordinary
• Commonplace

Notes on Meaning

The word quaint often carries a positive connotation of charming peculiarity. However, it can sometimes imply that something is outdated or naively old-fashioned, especially when viewed from a modern perspective. The context usually makes the speaker's attitude (affectionate or slightly dismissive) clear.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. attractively old-fashioned (but not necessarily authentic)
   • houses with quaint thatched roofs
   • a vaulted roof supporting old-time chimney pots
2. very strange or unusual; odd or even incongruous in character or appearance
   • the head terminating in the quaint duck bill which gives the animal its vernacular name- Bill Beatty
   • came forth a quaint and fearful sight- Sir Walter Scott
   • a quaint sense of humor
3. strange in an interesting or pleasing way
   • quaint dialect words
   • quaint streets of New Orleans, that most foreign of American cities

Từ đồng nghĩa

• old-time
• olde worlde