tawdry

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

(adjective)

  1. An example of tawdry used as an adjective is the phrase tawdry jewelry which means cheap, plastic-looking jewelry with big fake stones.
  2. 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.

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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:

See tawdry in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective taw·dri·er, taw·dri·est
  1. Gaudy and cheap in nature or appearance. See Synonyms at gaudy1.
  2. 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:

  • tawˈdri·ly adverb
  • tawˈdri·ness noun

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