kitsch
See also: Kitsch
English
Etymology
From German Kitsch, from dialectal kitschen (“to coat, to smear”), the word and concept were popularized in the 1930s by several critics who contrasted it with avant garde art.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: kĭch, IPA(key): /kɪtʃ/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (AU): (file) - Rhymes: -ɪtʃ
Noun
kitsch (usually uncountable, plural kitsches)
- Art, decorative objects and other forms of representation of questionable artistic or aesthetic value; a representation that is excessively sentimental, overdone, or vulgar.
- 1939, Clement Greenberg, "Avant Garde and Kitsch", The Partisan Review,
- Because it can be turned out mechanically, kitsch has become an integral part of our productive system in a way in which true culture could never be, except accidentally.
- 1939, Clement Greenberg, "Avant Garde and Kitsch", The Partisan Review,
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
kitsch
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Adjective
kitsch (comparative kitscher or more kitsch, superlative kitschest or most kitsch)
- Of art and decor: of questionable aesthetic value; excessively sentimental, overdone or vulgar.
- 1989, Graham Greene, Yours etc: Letters to the Press 1945-1989, →ISBN, p. 243,
- […] a picture of lemur-eyed children of the sort one sees in the kitscher sort of Italian restaurant […]
- 1996, Robert Silberman, "The stuff of art: Judy Onofrio", American Craft, Jun/Jul 1996, pp. 40-45,
- Abe Lincoln, Paul Bunyan and kitsch souvenir coconut heads come across as icons of masculinity.
- 2005, Ronald Frame, "Critical Paranoia", Michigan Quarterly Review, Spring 2005, p. 285,
- I recognized her at once even though she wasn't wearing the tweed hunting outfit and the kitsch headwear.
- 1989, Graham Greene, Yours etc: Letters to the Press 1945-1989, →ISBN, p. 243,
Usage notes
- Although the forms kitscher and kitschest are attested, those formed on kitschy are more common, particularly for the comparative.
Synonyms
Translations
of questionable aesthetic value
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Anagrams
Italian
Etymology
Pronunciation
Adjective
kitsch (invariable)
Noun
kitsch m (countable and uncountable)
Further reading
- kitsch in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Portuguese
Adjective
kitsch (invariable)
Noun
kitsch m (uncountable)
- kitsch (art of questionable aesthetic value)
Spanish
Adjective
Synonyms
Swedish
Pronunciation
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Noun
kitsch c (uncountable)
- kitsch
- Min mosters handmålade madonnastaty i elfenben är ren kitsch.
- “My aunt’s hand-painted ivory Madonna statue is pure kitsch.”
Derived terms
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from German
- English terms derived from German
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ɪtʃ
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English adjectives
- Italian terms borrowed from German
- Italian terms derived from German
- Italian 1-syllable words
- Italian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Italian lemmas
- Italian adjectives
- Italian terms spelled with K
- Italian nouns
- Italian countable nouns
- Italian uncountable nouns
- Italian masculine nouns
- Portuguese lemmas
- Portuguese adjectives
- Portuguese indeclinable adjectives
- Portuguese terms spelled with K
- Portuguese nouns
- Portuguese uncountable nouns
- Portuguese masculine nouns
- Swedish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Swedish lemmas
- Swedish nouns
- Swedish common-gender nouns
- Swedish uncountable nouns