kitsch

noun

1
: something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and is often of poor quality
2
: a tacky or lowbrow quality or condition
teetering on the brink of kitschRon Miller
kitschy adjective

Did you know?

Kitsch is an early 20th-century borrowing from German, and it refers to things in the realm of popular culture that are tacky, like car mirror dice, plastic flamingos, and dashboard hula dancers.

Examples of kitsch in a Sentence

The restaurant is decorated with 1950s furniture and kitsch from old TV shows.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The confection shop scenic design by David Zinn doesn’t shy away from kitsch. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2024 There were more than three dozen sets dotting the tables, adding color, kitsch, charm and conversation to the table settings — everything from a pair of tomatoes to the vintage bride and groom [figures] at our sweetheart table. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024 With less than a month until the election, political lawn signs dot the Halloween kitsch outside homes across Downriver. Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 13 Oct. 2024 Ed Wood is clearly the precedent for Big Eyes’ amused examination of kitsch art — Margaret’s paintings were popular but critically derided — but Burton honestly engages with the material, pondering how commerce and creativity intersect. Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for kitsch 

Word History

Etymology

German

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kitsch was in 1921

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near kitsch

Cite this Entry

“Kitsch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kitsch. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on kitsch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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