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tawdry

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Tawdry means gaudy or cheap, or it is mean or nasty.

(adjective)

An example of tawdry used as an adjective is the phrase tawdry jewelry which means cheap, plastic-looking jewelry with big fake stones.
An example of tawdry used as an adjective is the phrase tawdry person which means a cruel individual.

The definition of a tawdry is something cheap or gaudy.

(noun)

An example of a tawdry is jewelry made of burnt plastic.

See tawdry in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective tawdrier, tawdriest

cheap and showy; gaudy; sleazy

Origin: by syllabic merging of St. Audrey, esp. in St. Audrey laces, women's neckpieces sold at St. Audrey's fair in Norwich, England

Related Forms:

tawdriness noun

See tawdry in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective taw·dri·er, taw·dri·est

Gaudy and cheap in nature or appearance. See Synonyms at gaudy¹.
Shameful or indecent: tawdry secrets.

noun

Cheap and gaudy finery.

Origin:

Origin: From tawdry lace, lace necktie

Origin: , alteration of Saint Audrey's lace (sold at the annual Saint Audrey's fair, Ely, England)

Origin: , after Saint Audrey (Saint Etheldreda), queen of Northumbria, who died in 679 of a throat tumor, supposedly because she delighted in fancy necklaces as a young woman

Related Forms: