ARTSY
What does "ARTSY" mean?
Showily or self-consciously artistic, often to a pretentious degree.
Meanings
- Affectedly or ostentatiously concerned with art and aesthetics. The cafe was all exposed brick and artsy black-and-white prints. informal
- Having a genuine, appealing artistic flair (used approvingly). She has an artsy eye for arranging mismatched things beautifully. informal
Word origin
A 20th-century informal coinage from 'art' plus the diminutive-adjective suffix '-sy' (as in 'folksy' or 'cutesy'), often carrying a tinge of mockery.
Remember it
ARTSY = ART + SY; it's 'art' wearing a casual sweater - the '-sy' makes it sound a little too pleased with itself.
A little poem
She framed a crack and called it true-
and somehow, framed, it kind of grew.
couplet
Wordplay
- My friend hung an empty frame on a blank wall. I said that's pretty artsy. He said no, it's a statement - I just call it artsy.
What it teaches
The gap between artistic and artsy is sincerity; mean it, and the affectation falls away.
Quick facts
What does ARTSY mean?
Showily or self-consciously artistic, often to a pretentious degree.
Is ARTSY a valid word?
Yes — ARTSY is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is ARTSY?
ARTSY has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does ARTSY come from?
A 20th-century informal coinage from 'art' plus the diminutive-adjective suffix '-sy' (as in 'folksy' or 'cutesy'), often carrying a tinge of mockery.
What can ARTSY teach us?
The gap between artistic and artsy is sincerity; mean it, and the affectation falls away.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.