Gaud
/ɡɔːd/noun
A showy but usually worthless ornament or trinket.
Did you know?In medieval English, a gaud could mean a large rosary bead, likely named from Latin gaudium, “joy,” associated with devotional prayer.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰewdʰ-
“To rejoice or experience joy; the reconstructed ancestral root behind Latin gaudēre.”
Classical Latin
Latin
gaudēre / gaudium
“To rejoice; joy or delight.”
Old French
Old French
gaude
“A bead or ornament, continuing a medieval form associated with Latin gaudium.”
Middle English
Middle English
gaude
“A large bead, especially one used in a rosary; also a festive or ornamental object.”
16th–17th Century
English
gaud
“A showy ornament or trinket, often implying tasteless display.”
Modern English
English
gaud
“A flashy, showy, usually worthless ornament.”