Quaint — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈkwānt/

Meaning & Definition of Quaint

Quaint (adjective)

  1. pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar
  2. unusual or different in character or appearance, odd
  3. marked by skillful design

Quaint (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion

    "the sudden appearance of a man dressed in quaint clothes immediately drew the notice of passersby"

    similar: bizarre, bizarro, cranky, crazy, curious, eccentric, erratic, far-out, funky, funny, kinky, kooky, odd, off-kilter, off-the-wall, offbeat, out-of-the-way, outlandish, outré, peculiar, queer, queerish, quirky, remarkable, rum (chiefly British), screwy, spaced-out, strange, wacky, way-out, weird, weirdo, wild
    related: aberrant, abnormal, addlepated, flaky, extraordinary, fantastic, freak, freakish, freaky, phantasmagoric, phenomenal, atypical, rare, singular, uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual, unwonted, conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, prominent, salient, striking, atrocious, outrageous, shocking, crotchety, idiosyncratic, nonconformist, nonmainstream, out-there, unconventional, unorthodox, baffling, bewildering, confounding, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling
    near: average, commonplace, everyday, garden, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday, conformist, conservative, conventional, expected, familiar, knee-jerk, predictable, common, customary, frequent, habitual, regular, wonted

  2. pleasantly reminiscent of an earlier time

    "a quaint general store on one of the back roads of Vermont"

    similar: antique, old-fashioned, old-school, old-time, old-timey, old-world, oldfangled, retro, retrograde, vintage
    related: antiquated, moldy, obsolete, rinky-dink, historic, historical, olden, traditional, old hat, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, superannuated, dated, fusty, moth-eaten, musty, stodgy, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, atavistic, fossilized, hoary, venerable, bygone, erstwhile, former, late, past, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless, anachronistic, anachronous
    opposite: contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic, new age, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date
    near: fresh, new, chic, designer, fashionable, smart, stylish, modernized, refurbished, remodeled, renewed, updated, last, latest, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, nontraditional, recent

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Quaint

The most common words with a similar meaning to Quaint:

Chiefly British: rum
bizarre, bizarro, cranky, crazy, curious, eccentric, erratic, far-out, funky, funny, kinky, kooky, odd, off-kilter, off-the-wall, offbeat, out-of-the-way, outlandish, outré, peculiar, queer, queerish, quirky, remarkable, screwy, spaced-out, strange, wacky, way-out, weird, weirdo, wild, antique, old-fashioned, old-school, old-time, old-timey, old-world, oldfangled, retro

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Quaint

Words with the opposite meaning of Quaint:

contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic, new age, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date

Related Words for Quaint

aberrant, abnormal, addlepated, flaky, extraordinary, fantastic, freak, freakish, freaky, phantasmagoric, phenomenal, atypical, rare, singular, uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual, unwonted, conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, prominent, salient, striking, atrocious, outrageous, shocking, crotchety

Near Antonyms of Quaint

average, commonplace, everyday, garden, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday, conformist, conservative, conventional, expected, familiar, knee-jerk, predictable, common, customary, frequent, habitual, regular, wonted, fresh, new

Word Forms of Quaint

Derived words: quaintly (adverb), quaintness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Quaint

Middle English queinte, cointe, from Anglo-French, clever, expert, from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognoscere to know cognition

First known use: 13th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Quaint

What does "Quaint" mean?

"Quaint" means pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar. As an adjective, it is defined as: pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Quaint"?

Other words for "Quaint" include bizarre, bizarro, cranky, crazy, curious, eccentric, erratic and far-out. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Quaint" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Quaint"?

There are 125 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Quaint". Common alternatives include bizarre, bizarro, cranky, crazy, curious, eccentric, erratic, far-out, funky and funny.

What is the opposite of "Quaint"?

Antonyms of "Quaint" include contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic and new age. Near antonyms include average, commonplace, everyday and garden.

How do you use "Quaint" in a sentence?

Examples of "Quaint" in a sentence: "the sudden appearance of a man dressed in quaint clothes immediately drew the notice of passersby"; "a quaint general store on one of the back roads of Vermont".

Is "Quaint" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Quaint" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Quaint"?

"Quaint" is pronounced /ˈkwānt/.

What is the origin of the word "Quaint"?

"Quaint" comes from Middle English queinte, cointe, from Anglo-French, clever, expert, from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognoscere to know cognition. First known use: 13th century.