noun

kitsch

kihch

Quiz me More like this

Kitsch (noun) means Art or decoration seen as tacky, overly sentimental, or in poor taste, often enjoyed ironically. Example: “Her apartment was full of kitsch — plastic flamingos, snow globes, velvet paintings.”

noun

Art or decoration seen as tacky, overly sentimental, or in poor taste, often enjoyed ironically.

"Her apartment was full of kitsch — plastic flamingos, snow globes, velvet paintings."

adj

Deliberately tacky, gaudy, or over-sentimental in style.

"The motel had a wonderfully kitsch neon sign out front."

How to use kitsch

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTacky or over-the-top in a way that can be either genuinely bad taste or charmingly so-bad-it's-good.

Common pairings

pure kitsch kitsch decor so kitsch

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like kitsch.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: kitsches
Comparative: kitscher, more kitsch
Superlative: kitschest, most kitsch

Test yourself on “kitsch” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Her apartment was full of _____ — plastic flamingos, snow globes, velvet paintings.

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.

Origin: German · First attested 1930

Class of 1930 kitsch joined the language around 1930.

biro blowjob crumpet dink doodle

See the full Class of 1930 →

Antonyms

austere simple bare low-key modest

Related words

open serious feeling simple empty severe exposed spare

Rhymes for kitsch

Busch Bosch mensch Hirsch kirsch Munsch

See all rhymes for kitsch →

Frequently asked questions

What does “kitsch” mean?

The word “kitsch” means art or decoration seen as tacky, overly sentimental, or in poor taste, often enjoyed ironically. In plain terms, tacky or over-the-top in a way that can be either genuinely bad taste or charmingly so-bad-it's-good.

How do you pronounce “kitsch”?

“Kitsch” is pronounced kihch (/kɪt͡ʃ/ in IPA).

How do you use “kitsch” in a sentence?

Here is “kitsch” used in a sentence: “Her apartment was full of kitsch — plastic flamingos, snow globes, velvet paintings.”

What part of speech is “kitsch”?

Depending on how it is used, “kitsch” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “kitsch” come from?

The word “kitsch” dates back to around 1930 and comes from German.

How many meanings does “kitsch” have?

“Kitsch” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: art or decoration seen as tacky, overly sentimental, or in poor taste, often enjoyed ironically.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include kitsch:

Words with German origins

People also searched

open serious feeling simple empty severe exposed spare