What does KITSCH mean?

Question

How do you pronounce that? And how the heck do you use that? Is this an American word?

"That's so kitsch!" .......What the heck?

Answer 1

Kitsch (pronounced “kich” as in “rich”) is a term of German origin that has been used to categorize art that is considered an inferior copy of an existing style. The term is also used more loosely in referring to any art that is pretentious to the point of being in bad taste, and also commercially produced items that are considered trite or crass.

Answer 2

Kitsch (pronounced “kich” as in “rich”) is a term of German origin that has been used to categorize art that is considered an inferior copy of an existing style. The term is also used more loosely in referring to any art that is pretentious to the point of being in bad taste, and also commercially produced items that are considered trite or crass.

Because the word was brought into use as a response to a large amount of art in the 19th century where the aesthetic of art work was associated with a sense of exaggerated sentimentality or melodrama, kitsch is most closely associated with art that is sentimental; however, it can be used to refer to any type of art that is deficient for similar reasons—whether it tries to appear sentimental, glamorous, theatrical, or creative, kitsch is said to be a gesture imitative of the superficial appearances of art. It is often said that kitsch relies on merely repeating convention and formula, lacking the sense of creativity and originality displayed in genuine art.

Answer 3

1. kitsch
133 up, 31 down


As an art movement, lifestyle, or literature and film genre, kitsch is pleasingly distasteful. It's melodramatic, overdone, gaudy and tacky or sentimental and folksy. It's so bad that it's cool. Your cat might attack it, but it's hot.
And, no, Martha Stewart and Jerry Springer are NOT bad enough to be kitsch. At all. Paris and Nicole though...

You're looking rather kitschy today, your grandma's neckace is hot.
I saw an awesome Andy Warhol knockoff at the galley yesterday, it was so kitsch. I couldn't get it though, I didn't have the cash. *sounds dissappointed*

Answer 4

kitsch
Pronunciation[kich]
–noun

something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste.
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[Origin: 1925–30; < German deriv. of kitschen to throw together (a work of art)]
—Related forms
kitschy, adjective


ahh, PBS and the Antiques Road Show! Kitsch is fad decor, and, usually, at least when I've heard the word, it's fad decor after the fad has gone, when the majority of people don't find it tasteful or trendy anymore.

Hope that helps!

Answer 5

The popular term, describing a very bad and rather cheap, pretentious and flashy art of a bad taste.
Kinda soap opera in any art.

Answer 6

It means tacky. it is pronounced like the beginning of the word kitchen. It is German.

Answer 7

noun
art in pretentious bad taste
adj
of a display that is tawdry or vulgar