## Meanings
1. Pretty and attractive, especially in a small, sweet way.
2. Sexually attractive or good-looking (informal).
3. Trying too hard to be charming or clever, in an annoying way.

## Examples
- They adopted a cute little puppy from the shelter.
- She thinks the new guy at work is really cute.
- Don't get cute with me; just answer the question.

## Derived Forms
- cute-'em-up
- cuteful
- cuteish
- cutely
- cuten
- cuteness
- cutensil
- cutesome
- cutester
- cutesy
- cutey
- cutie

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂eḱ-

## Etymology
Aphetic form of acute, originally meaning “keenly perceptive or discerning, shrewd” (1731). Meaning transferred to “pretty, fetching” by US students (slang) c. 1834. Meaning drifted further to describe the pleasing attraction to features usually possessed by the young.

## AI Etymology
cute aphetic form of acute, originally meaning “keenly perceptive or discerning, shrewd” (1731). Meaning transferred to “pretty, fetching” by US students (slang) c. 1834. Meaning drifted further to describe the pleasing attraction to features usually possessed by the young. Current senses include Pretty and attractive, especially in a small, sweet way and Sexually attractive or good-looking (informal). English relatives and later formations include cute-'em-up, cuteful, cuteish.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Register & Style

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