adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK, US:kĭch
UK, US:/kɪt͡ʃ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Of art and decor: of questionable aesthetic value; excessively sentimental, overdone or vulgar.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Art, decorative objects, and other forms of representation of questionable artistic or aesthetic value; a representation that is excessively sentimental, overdone, or vulgar.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: camp, campy, kitschy, schmaltzy
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
excessively garish or sentimental art; usually considered in bad taste
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: art, fine art
History
Etymology
From German Kitsch, from dialectal kitschen (“to coat, to smear”); the word and concept were popularized in the 1930s by several critics who contrasted it with avant-garde art.
Across languages
Translations
52 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
кичозен
(kičozen)
— of questionable aesthetic value
Czech:
kýčovitý
— of questionable aesthetic value
Esperanto:
kiĉa
— of questionable aesthetic value
Finnish:
kitsahtava
— of questionable aesthetic value
Finnish:
kruusattu
— of questionable aesthetic value
French:
kitsch
— of questionable aesthetic value
French:
quétaine
— of questionable aesthetic value
German:
kitschig
— of questionable aesthetic value
Hungarian:
giccses
— of questionable aesthetic value
Macedonian:
кичест
(kičest)
— of questionable aesthetic value
Polish:
kiczowaty
— of questionable aesthetic value
Portuguese:
kitsch
— of questionable aesthetic value
Slovak:
gýčovitý
— of questionable aesthetic value
Spanish:
kitsch
— of questionable aesthetic value
Swedish:
kitschig
— of questionable aesthetic value
Azerbaijani:
kitç
— art of questionable artistic value
Bulgarian:
кич
(kič)
— art of questionable artistic value
Chinese Mandarin:
媚俗
(mèisú)
— art of questionable artistic value
Chinese Mandarin:
刻奇
(kèqí)
— art of questionable artistic value
Chinese Mandarin:
畸趣
(jīqù)
— art of questionable artistic value
Chinese Mandarin:
自我感動 /自我感动
(zìwǒ gǎndòng)
— art of questionable artistic value
Czech:
kýč
— art of questionable artistic value
Dutch:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Esperanto:
kiĉo
— art of questionable artistic value
Finnish:
rihkama
— art of questionable artistic value
Finnish:
kitsi
— art of questionable artistic value
Finnish:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Finnish:
krääsä
— art of questionable artistic value
French:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
French:
kitch
— art of questionable artistic value
German:
Kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Greek:
κιτς
(kits)
— art of questionable artistic value
Hebrew:
קיטש
— art of questionable artistic value
Hungarian:
giccs
— art of questionable artistic value
Italian:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Japanese:
キッチュ
(kitchu)
— art of questionable artistic value
Korean:
키치
(kichi)
— art of questionable artistic value
Kyrgyz:
кич
(kic)
— art of questionable artistic value
Kyrgyz:
китч
(kitc)
— art of questionable artistic value
Macedonian:
кич
(kič)
— art of questionable artistic value
Persian:
کیچ
— art of questionable artistic value
Polish:
kicz
— art of questionable artistic value
Portuguese:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Russian:
китч
(kitč)
— art of questionable artistic value
Serbo-Croatian:
кич
— art of questionable artistic value
Serbo-Croatian:
kič
— art of questionable artistic value
Slovak:
gýč
— art of questionable artistic value
Spanish:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Spanish:
cursilería
— art of questionable artistic value
Swedish:
kitsch
— art of questionable artistic value
Ukrainian:
кіч
(kič)
— art of questionable artistic value
Ukrainian:
кітч
(kitč)
— art of questionable artistic value
