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Glite Dictionary
nosegay

nosegay

1 9.3
A small bunch of flowers given as a gift
  • noun
  • /ˈnoʊzɡeɪ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : ramillete
  • "Meg, dear, you'd better get that nosegay into some water."
  • nosegay of violets

Examples

  • Gabriel hands the little girl a nosegay of pansies.

  • Will you fetch me my shawl and my nosegay?

    Vanity Fair (2004)

  • Three days after Thanksgiving, Robert brought me a nosegay.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • My dear Colonel, according to the king's request, you will take first choice of this dainty nosegay-- and at your own price.

    Captain Blood (1935)

  • The bride had worn a wisp of a dress, in the palest of pinks instead of white, and carried a nosegay of violets.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Will you fetch me my shawl and my nosegay?

  • "And you," Penny paused to hand her a nosegay of bright-red peonies from the hammered glass vase on the nightstand, "are beautiful."

Synonyms

bouquet
vsnosegay
62 2.7

A bunch of flowers arranged and given as a gift

is smaller and simpler rather than a formal arranged display
spray
vsnosegay
4 3.5

A small branch with flowers and leaves used for decoration

is a compact hand-held bunch mainly given as a present rather than a single stem
posy
vsnosegay
2 6.9

A small bunch of flowers given as a gift

has identical meaning but uses the term present rather than gift
possie
vsnosegay
  • UK
9.6

A small bunch of flowers given as a gift or for decoration

focuses on being given as a present rather than being carried
tussie-mussie
vsnosegay
  • Archaic
9.9

A small bunch of flowers given as a gift or decoration

focuses on being given as a present rather than being carried

How Big

bouquet
62 2.7
nosegay
  • Archaic
1 9.3

Surface Forms

nosegay singular
nosegays plural

Morphology

nosegay = nose + gay (opaque) = nose + gay

The term 'nosegay' is an archaic compound, and its meaning as a small bunch of flowers is not directly derivable from 'nose' and 'gay'.

Etymology

Nosegay joins nose and gay, where gay once meant 'bright' or an 'ornament'. So a nosegay is like a small 'nose-ornament' — a little bunch of flowers you hold to your nose or give as a gift.