Decoding Compliments: 50 Cute Words and Their True Meanings

Guys and girls can be guilty of tossing around “cute” haphazardly. But if your crush uses one of these other cute words, you may be in for a treat.

Okay, I will admit that if a guy whom I thought was really hot told me that he thought I was cute, I wouldn’t be all that excited. To me, cute sounds more like a downgrade from hot or gorgeous. But the truth is that cute is only a word. When someone says you’re cute, don’t assume that you know exactly what they’re trying to say. There are several other cute words that may make you much happier, but maybe the person delivering the compliment was a little tongue-tied.

50 cute words and their meanings

Okay, so maybe the word “cute” isn’t exactly at the top of your list for your favorite compliments to recieve. But what your crush may be trying to say is one of these other cute words that may pack more of a punch. Before you right him or her off, check out what your admirer may have wanted to say instead.

#1 Adorable. Who doesn’t want to be adorable? Adorable is someone who simply can’t be resisted.

#2 Beautiful. This cute word has a special type of elegance attached to it. Old-fashioned and classy, beautiful is something that sets a woman apart from the rest.

#3 Charming. A charming person is someone who’s entertaining and whom you just can’t get enough of.

#4 Delightful. If you’re delightful, that means that you lighten the mood and make everyone in the room stand up and take notice—not just for your looks, but your demeanor.

#5 Pleasant. This cute word means that you an absolute pleasure to be around.

#6 Pretty. Pretty is unassuming and classic. It is also someone who ages gracefully.

#7 Dainty. Dainty means that you are fragile, but in an elegant way. It’s all in the perspective, right?

#8 Darling. When you are darling, you are someone who just melts everyone’s hearts.

#9 Delectable. Delectable means that they could just eat you up. Like a delicacy at a high-end restaurant, being delectable makes you the best item on the menu.

#10 Delicious. Delicious means that you’re the best tasting thing around. You can take that physically or metaphorically, depending on how you want to knock his socks off.

#11 Heavenly. Heavenly, well that is a tall order. Sent from the heavens, you are something that is out of this world.

#12 Fetching. Not in a Fido kinda of way—fetching means that you can fetch the attention and the adoration of everyone in the room.

#13 Dreamy. Justin Bieber may be dreamy to some. It’s an adjective that means just too good to be true.

#14 Dishy. If you’re dishy, it means that you’re the special on the menu for the evening. Like something that the restaurant runs out of because everyone wants to take a bite, someone who is dishy is in high demand.

#15 Sexy. You normally wouldn’t equate sexy with cute, but the dictionary does!

#16 Precious. There is nothing more precious than the love of your life. If someone calls you precious, what they may really mean is that you are precious to them and to their heart, meaning they hold you in high esteem.

#17 Pleasing. Pleasing means that you bring them pleasure. Although that sounds pretty horrible when you think of the exact definition, that doesn’t mean you’re easy. It means that your look is pleasing to the eye.

#18 Luscious. Luscious things are rich, elegant, and overwhelming.

#19 Hot. We all know what hot means—that you are so good-looking you’re too hot to touch!

#20 Captivating. Being captivating means that a guy can’t get you off of his mind. You literally hold him captive.

#21 Attractive. Attraction is what draws two things together. If someone tells you that you’re attractive, they mean that your heart pulls toward theirs.

#22 Ambrosial. Ambrosia was a gift to the gods. The best fruit that they could find, it was both delectable and highly coveted.

#23 Alluring. When you allure someone, you draw them in. When someone says you’re alluring, it means that you are drawing them in, because there is something about you that is so highly attractive.

#24 Delicate. If you are delicate, you’re like a fainting flower. Delicate girls are classy and old-school beautiful.

#25 Angelic. Angelic means that you are an angel or a gift from the heavens. Made in perfection, you are the most revered being that anyone can imagine.

#26 Beauteous. A fun play on “beautiful,” perhaps. Maybe the person who gives you this compliment sees the beauty and fun in you.

#27 Bewitching. If you bewitch someone, it means that you put a spell on them. Magical, you are the thing that they dream of. You also have the ability to change everything in their realm to be out of this world.

#28 Classy. Classy is something that never goes out of style. A true classic, if someone calls you classy, they’re calling you a high-class debutante.

#29 Dazzling. Another of our favorite cute words, dazzling is similar to sparkling, but it’s more captivating and magical.

#30 Divine. Divine means of the Gods and sent from heaven. That is truly a high compliment.

#31 Elegant. Elegant means that you have class and grace. Taught well and highly-respected, you are a woman who commands and deserves the adoration of everyone around.

#32 Enticing. Enticing means that you can lure someone in. Similar to attractive, enticing is one step more amorous.

#33 Excellent. Excellent, is, well, excellent. Is there anything better than being the biggest superlative there is?

#34 Exquisite. Someone who is exquisite is so unimaginably beautiful that it overcomes you with love. Exquisite is a person with whom you instantly fall in love and never want to let go.

#35 Fair. Fair is not the opposite of unfair. Fair means that you are graceful and elegant.
#36 Fascinating. This means that you are interesting and intriguing, all rolled into one.

#37 Foxy. Okay, maybe this isn’t something anyone has said since the 70s, but foxy means that you can turn on any guy with a jerry curl.

#38 Good-looking. Of course, lots of these cute words have something to do with your great looks, but after all, that’s what flirting is all about, right?

#39 Gorgeous. Another testament to your physical attractiveness, gorgeous is one of those cute words that never goes out of style.

#40 Graceful. Grace is something that you are born with. It is an undeniable characteristic that makes you elegant and desired.

#41 Grand. Not since The Great Gatsby has anyone called someone grand, but hey, it would be nice to hear every now and again.

#42 Ideal. If you are ideal, you are the very idea of the best thing that a person could ever imagine. Can’t shake a stick at that!

#43 Lovely. As Stevie Wonder said, “Isn’t she lovely?” If he had a song about it, it must be pretty awesome, no?

#44 Magnificent. Magna, meaning great, and ificent is the root word for… oh who cares, it’s amazing.

#45 Marvelous. If you’re marvelous, you’re something truly spectacular, one-of-a-kind.

#46 Nice. Not all cute words have to be something outrageous. After all, don’t we all hope that people think we’re nice to be around.

#47 Pulchritudinous. Pronounced, “pul-kruh-TOO-di-nuhs,” this is one of the most impressive cute words out there. It means breathtaking beauty.

#48 Radiant. Radiant means that your beauty radiates to everything else around you. Thus, just being in your presence makes everyone around you feel good.

#49 Ravishing. When you’re ravishing to someone, they can’t ever get enough of you. They are simply overtaken by everything about you.

#50 Refined. Refined means that you have a special class and sophistication that others desire.

Take these cute words for what they’re worth, and don’t ever underestimate yourself based on how someone defines you. But, hey, if you’re paid a compliment, maybe you could pull something off this list to give right back!