quaint

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   attractively unusual or old-fashioned

   The quaint cottage was a charming sight in the village.

2. 2
   adj

   strange or unusual in an interesting or amusing way

   His quaint sense of humor always made her smile.

Simplified etymology

Quaint entered Middle English from Old French cointe, ultimately derived from Latin cognoscere, “to know.” In the Middle Ages it could mean “wise,” “clever,” “ingenious or skilfully made,” or “beautiful or elegant.” These senses led to the broader idea of being “out of the ordinary,” and the current sense, “interestingly unusual or old-fashioned,” appeared in the late 18th century.

From Old French coint ('clever, agreeable'), via Middle English queinte ('elegant, clever'), giving Modern English quaint ('charmingly unusual or old-fashioned').

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary