arty-farty

English

Alternative forms

• artsy-fartsy, artyfarty

Pronunciation

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Adjective

arty-farty

1. (informal, derogatory) Pretentiously artistic; self-important or self-indulgent, especially when describing an artistic project.

   I've had enough of this arty-farty modern sculpture!

   • 2008 June 9, Shirley Dent, “Written on the body: literary tattoos”, in The Guardian‎:

     The rather disappointing—although unsurprising—message of the Economist article was that tattoos are no longer the edgy insignia of the free spirited but the arty-farty must-have accessory of the middle classes.

See also

• fancy-schmancy
• hoity-toity
• highfalutin
• tushery

Noun

arty-farty (plural arty-farties)

1. Someone who is arty-farty.
   • 2009, Tommy Smith, Anfield Iron, page 85:

     The Mersey Sound, an anthology featuring the works of poets Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri, became a best-seller in 1967 and encouraged thousands of working-class teenagers to read poetry; prior to its publication they probably thought poems were for middle-class arty-farties.

   • 2013, Marge Piercy, Braided Lives: A Novel, page 217:

     Gave parties for all the campus arty-farties to come and drink up my booze and patronize me. . . . I could have had you that first night I brought you here.

   • 2015, Jen Storer, The Fourteenth Summer of Angus Jack:

     'Probably some rich arty-farty built it for his kids,' said Barney casually.