Etymology Journal ยท C
Cute as a bug's ear
Meaning
- An idiom used to describe something or someone that is incredibly small and endearing. It is the gold standard for describing something diminutive.
Affectionate, sweet
Used in a sentence
- Look at that tiny kitten, it is cute as a bug's ear.
- She wore a little hat that was cute as a bug's ear.
- That cottage is cute as a bug's ear with its tiny porch and flowers.
The backstory
This is a folk metaphor comparing the tiny, delicate nature of a bug's anatomy to something that is visually sweet or charming. It has been popular in American regional speech for generations.
Heard in
The South
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