kitsch
The origin and history of kitsch.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from German Kitsch, likely linked to a dialect word meaning "to smear" or "throw together carelessly." The term caught on internationally in the 1930s among critics who used it to describe cheap or sentimental art in contrast to serious avant-garde work.
Class of 1930
kitsch first entered the language around 1930. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1930 →