kitsch

Definitions  ·  Examples  ·  Pronunciations  ·  Etymologies  ·  Related  ·  Statistics  ·  Comments  · 

View all »
Definitions (4)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun Sentimentality or vulgar, often pretentious bad taste, especially in the arts: "When money tries to buy beauty it tends to purchase a kind of courteous kitsch” (William H. Gass).
  2. noun An example or examples of kitsch.
  3. adjective Of, being, or characterized by kitsch: "The kitsch kitchen ... has aqua-and-white gingham curtains and rubber duck-yellow walls painted in a fried-egg motif” (Suzanne Cassidy).

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

Toggle elsewhere links Elsewhere on the web

View all »
Examples

  • In the realm of kitsch, the dictatorship of the heart reigns supreme. —  The Unbearable Lightness of Being
  • Tereza's dream reveals the true function of kitsch: kitsch is a folding screen set up to curtain off death. —  The Unbearable Lightness of Being
  • It follows, then, that the true opponent of totalitarian kitsch is the person who asks questions. —  The Unbearable Lightness of Being
  • Her kitsch was her image of home, all peace, quiet, and harmony, and ruled by a loving mother and wise father. —  The Unbearable Lightness of Being
  • - —  The Best Revenge
 

Tags

Sign up or sign in to add tags.

Stats

Kitsch has been looked up 327 times, favorited twice, listed 67 times, and commented on 0 times.

stop updating
On Twitter

Photos from

flickr images

Etymologies (1)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. German, probably of dialectal origin.
 

Pronunciations
Record your own »
by American Heritage

Charts
frequency chart

Bubble size: how much this word was used in a year

Bubble height: used more or less than expected, vs. all uses evenly distributed

You can expect to see this word several times a year.

Recent Lookups

Shipping · realpolitik · gownsman · creation · cancer

Recent Favorites

airship · cloud-shadows · ombrophobous · turncoat · metaplasm

Recent Pronunciations

milosrdenstvi · lichen-covered · futon · sagacity · monoragngocious