Definition

Noun: A gewgaw is a small, cheap, and showy ornament or trinket, often considered to be of little real value or taste. It is typically decorative and designed to attract attention through its brightness or novelty rather than through quality or substance.

Usage

The word gewgaw is used to describe a decorative object that is flashy but trivial and inexpensive. It often carries a slightly negative or dismissive connotation, implying the item is tasteless or without lasting worth. It is a somewhat old-fashioned or literary term.

Examples

• The market stall was filled with shiny gewgaws and souvenirs for tourists.
• She had no interest in expensive jewelry, preferring instead to collect colorful gewgaws from her travels.
• The king's crown was adorned not only with precious gems but also with cheap gewgaws that glittered in the light.

Advanced Usage

• Used metaphorically: The term can be applied metaphorically to describe ideas, arguments, or stylistic elements that are superficially attractive but lack depth or substance.
  • His speech was full of rhetorical gewgaws but offered no real solutions.

Variants and Related Words

• Gimcrack (noun/adjective): A cheap and showy object; poorly constructed. This is a very close synonym.
  • The furniture was just gimcrack stuff that fell apart quickly.
• Bauble (noun): A small, inexpensive decorative item.
• Trinket (noun): A small ornament or item of jewelry.

Synonyms

• Trinket
• Bauble
• Knickknack
• Gimcrack
• Novelty
• Ornament

Antonyms

• Treasure
• Heirloom
• Masterpiece

Idioms and Related Phrases

• Bits and gewgaws: A phrase emphasizing a collection of small, miscellaneous, and often trivial decorative items.
  • Her desk was cluttered with bits and gewgaws from over the years.

Noun

1. cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing