A.Word.A.Day --A word from the archives

A.Word.A.Day

Home

A Random Word From the Archives

Permanent link for this word: gimcrack

This week's theme
Miscellaneous words

This week's words
otiose
mendicant
peremptory
encomium
gimcrack

This week's comments
AWADmail 382

Next week's theme
Eponyms

Make a gift that ...
keeps on giving, all year long
A gift subscription of AWAD
It takes less than a minute.

Discuss

Feedback

RSS/XML

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

gimcrack

PRONUNCIATION:

(JIM-krak)

MEANING:

noun: Something cheap and showy, of little use.
adjective: Showy, but worthless.

ETYMOLOGY:

Of uncertain origin, perhaps an alteration of Middle English gibecrake (small ornament), possibly from Old French giber (to shake).

USAGE:

"Uncle Rabid Prophet TechEye has worshiped more gimcrack bits of junk and practiced more half-baked religions than all of Hollywood combined."
Bow Down And Open Your Wallet; Warsaw Business Journal (Poland); Aug 21, 2006.

See more usage examples of gimcrack in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument. -William G. McAdoo, lawyer and politician (1863-1941)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise