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gimcrack

(jim′krak′)

adjective

showy but cheap and useless

Origin: altered < ME gibbecrak, an ornament, prob. < gibben, to be erratic (< OFr giber) + crak, a bursting sound

noun

a cheap, showy, useless thing

See gimcrack in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A cheap and showy object of little or no use; a gewgaw.

adjective

Cheap and tasteless; gaudy: “The shelves groan with an array of gimcrack gifts from fans: a stuffed piranha fish … a ceramic … bull, a papier-mâché replica of an Apollo moonwalker” (Harry F. Waters).

Origin:

Origin: Possibly alteration of Middle English gibecrake, small ornament

Related Forms:

gimˈcrackˌer·y noun

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