Well-read eccentric, dead cute (8)
I believe the answer is:
educated
'well-read' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'eccentric dead cute' is the wordplay.
'eccentric' is an anagram indicator.
'dead'+'cute'='deadcute'
'deadcute' with letters rearranged gives 'EDUCATED'.
(Other definitions for educated that I've seen before include "Learned - cultivated" , "Clever" , "Schooled, trained" , "Trained; learned" , "Erudite" .)