Twee 'Dainty, Quaint, Precious, mawkish'

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) entry for the word "twee" has been updated in 2022. The entry describes the meaning and use of the word, which originally meant "sweet, dainty, chic." However, it is now only used in a negative way to describe something affectedly dainty or qua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ANQ (Lexington, Ky.) Ky.), 2024-10, Vol.37 (4), p.483-484
Main Author: Sayers, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Dictionaries
English language
Etymology
Homophones
Musical instruments
Pronunciation
Taste
Vocabulary development
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) entry for the word "twee" has been updated in 2022. The entry describes the meaning and use of the word, which originally meant "sweet, dainty, chic." However, it is now only used in a negative way to describe something affectedly dainty or quaint, overnice, overrefined, precious, or mawkish. The etymology of "twee" is believed to come from the infantile pronunciation of "sweet," and the earliest attestations of the word are from the early 20th century. The OED suggests that the term may have been influenced by the Warner Brothers cartoon character Tweety, whose name is derived from the sound of birds. However, a more plausible source for the word "twee" is its homophone "tweeze," which refers to a case of small instruments. This connection suggests that "twee" may have evolved from a sense of careful use to daintiness and a taste for refinement on a small scale. The OED will likely combine its separate entries for "twee" as an instrument case and something overly cute, as they share the same etymology. "Twee" is expected to continue to be used in English vocabulary, particularly in matters of taste and aesthetic judgment.
ISSN:0895-769X
1940-3364
DOI:10.1080/0895769X.2023.2242438