gaud
/ɡɔːd
/noun archaic
A showy and purely ornamental thing: displays of overpriced gauds...
- It had been a fantastic dream, a mishmash of style, gaud and history, and the Queen's magnetic personality had seemed to blend these together, creating odd, delightful harmonies and strangely beautiful effects.
Origin
Middle English (denoting a trick or pretence): perhaps via Anglo-Norman French from Old French gaudir 'rejoice', from Latin gaudere; perhaps influenced by obsolete gaud 'ornamental bead in a rosary'.