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gimcrackery

gimcrackery

9.9
Cheap fancy items that look attractive but have little value
  • noun
  • /ˈɡɪmˌkrækəri/
  • Archaic
translation icon : baratijas
  • The store was filled with cheap gimcrackery that no one wanted.

Examples

  • The shop was filled with gimcrackery meant to attract tourists.

  • The store was filled with colorful gimcrackery that looked appealing but served no real purpose.

  • Despite all the gimcrackery on display, nothing in that stall was truly valuable.

  • She dusted the shelves cluttered with gimcrackery inherited from relatives.

  • She decorated her room with colorful gimcrackery from the flea market.

  • She decorated her room with various pieces of gimcrackery, from shiny trinkets to extravagant wall art.

  • Although the festival featured stunning displays, many of the stalls sold only cheap gimcrackery that quickly broke.

Synonyms

knickknack
vsgimcrackery
16 4.2

A small cheap object people keep to decorate a home

focuses on showy or flashy design rather than size or usefulness
dreck
vsgimcrackery
  • Slang
7 9.9

Poor-quality items that are not worth buying

is specifically about cheap ornamental objects meant to attract attention
cheapo
vsgimcrackery
  • Informal
1 6.1

A thing that costs little and is low in quality

stresses ornament and show rather than mere low price or cheapness
gimcrack
vsgimcrackery
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A small showy ornament that is cheap and has little value

is a general term for cheap decorative items with no value
trumpery
vsgimcrackery
  • Archaic
9.9

Cheap objects that look nice but have little value

is the more negative label for cheap showy ornaments lacking value
falderol
vsgimcrackery
  • Archaic
9.9

Small decorative things that have little value

is the broader phrase for cheap showy objects rather than single trinkets
folderal
vsgimcrackery
  • Archaic
9.9

Small decorative things that have little value

refers generally to cheap ornamental goods rather than everyday low quality items
Brummagem
vsgimcrackery
  • Archaic
9.9

Cheap and showy but not really high quality

emphasizes fakery and show rather than genuine value or craftsmanship

Antonyms

2.1

How good something is

188 4.3

The main idea of something said or written

How Valuable

keepsake
22 3.9
decoration
92 1.0
gimcrackery
  • Archaic
9.9
trinket
43 3.5
junk
373 1.1

Surface Forms

gimcrackery singular
gimcrackeries plural

Morphology

gimcrackery = gimcrack (semi-transparent) = gimcrack + ery

Formed by the regular noun-forming suffix '-ery' on 'gimcrack', but 'gimcrack' is rare and dialectal so learners may not recognize the base.

Etymology

Gimcrackery comes from the old word gimcrack meaning 'a showy but worthless thing' plus the ending -ery (as in jewellery) that marks a group or type of objects. So gimcrackery means a collection of cheap, showy trinkets or ornaments.