adj.
Pronunciation: ' kw ā nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English queinte, cointe, from Anglo-French, clever, expert, from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognoscere to know ― more at COGNITION
Date: 13th century
1 obsolete : EXPERT , SKILLED
2 a : marked by skillful design < quaint with many a device in India ink ― Herman Melville> b : marked by beauty or elegance
3 a : unusual or different in character or appearance : ODD <figures of fun, quaint people ― Herman Wouk> b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar
synonyms see STRANGE
– quaint · ly adverb
– quaint · ness noun