art brut

noun

ˈär(t)-ˈbrut 

-ˈbrᵫt

: outsider art

… a broad range of graphic style from art brut to bathroom graffiti …

—Publishers Weekly, 3 Sept. 2001

… this odd Southern girl has been releasing dreamily primitive electric folk-blues records for more than ten years now—wobbly art brut affairs held together with hair and saliva …

—Spin, February 2006

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, literally, "raw [crude, unprocessed] art"

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!