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Glite Dictionary
chintzy gift

chintzy gift

7.2
A gift that is cheap and badly made
  • noun
  • /ˈtʃɪn.tzi ɡɪft/
  • Informal
translation icon : regalo barato
  • The company handed out chintzy gifts at the event that fell apart within days.

Examples

  • He was disappointed to receive a chintzy gift for his birthday instead of something meaningful.

  • No one wanted to admit they had brought the chintzy gift to the secret Santa exchange.

  • She received a chintzy gift for her birthday.

  • I can't believe he gave me a chintzy gift!

  • He was disappointed to receive a chintzy gift for his birthday instead of something meaningful.

  • The company handed out chintzy gifts at the event that fell apart within days.

  • No one wanted to admit they had brought the chintzy gift to the secret Santa exchange.

Synonyms

cheapie
vschintzy gift
  • Informal
1 6.3

A thing that costs very little and is often made badly

applies specifically to items given to others rather than any object

Antonyms

thoughtful
165 2.1

Caring about other people's needs and feelings

valuable
158 2.3

Worth a lot of money, like a painting or necklace

How Generous

to lavish
17 5.3
token
29 3.4
chintzy gift
  • Informal
7.2

Surface Forms

chintzy gift singular
chintzy gifts plural

Morphology

chintzy + gift

The meaning is directly compositional: 'chintzy' (cheap, tacky, low-quality) modifies 'gift' (an item given), so the phrase denotes a cheaply made or low-quality present. This follows a standard adjective + noun pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Chintzy gift may come from the word chintz, a printed cotton cloth from India that later was used for cheap, mass-made items. Because those goods felt low in value, people began calling things chintzy to mean 'cheap' or 'poor quality', so a chintzy gift is a present that looks cheap or poorly made.