different between decoration vs gewgaw

English

Wikiquote

Etymology

From Latin decoratio: compare French décoration.Morphologically decorate +? -ion

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?k???e???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

decoration (countable and uncountable, plural decorations)

1. The act of adorning, embellishing, or honoring; ornamentation.
2. Any item that adorns, enriches, or beautifies; something added by way of embellishment or ornamentation.
3. Specifically, any mark of honor to be worn upon the person, as a medal, cross, or ribbon of an order of knighthood, bestowed for services in war, great achievements in literature, art, etc.
4. (biochemistry, immunology) The use of exotic sugars as decoys to distract the immune system of a host

Related terms

• decorate

Translations

References

• (etymology) decoration in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• carotenoid, co-ordinate, coordinate, coronadite, coördinate

English

Alternative forms

• geegaw
• gew-gaw

Etymology

From earlier gugaw, gygaw, from Middle English givegove (“gewgaw, trifle”), a reduplication of Middle English give, geove (“gift”), from Old English giefu, geofu, geafu (“gift”), from Proto-Germanic *geb? (“gift”). Compare Icelandic gyligjöf (“showy gifts, gewgaw”). More at give.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??ju????/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??u??/
  • (US) (cot-caught merger)

Noun

gewgaw (plural gewgaws)

1. A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament or decoration. [from 15th c.]

   • A heavy gewgaw called a crown.

   • 1951, Isaac Asimov, Foundation (1974 Panther Books Ltd publication), part V: “The Merchant Princes”, chapter 11, page 163, ¶¶ 2–4:

     “I am not of the neighbourhood,” said Mallow, calmly, “but the matter is irrelevant. I have had the honour to send you a little gift yesterday?——” [¶] The tech-man’s nose lifted. “I received it. An interesting gewgaw. I may have use for it on occasion.” [¶] I have other and more interesting gifts. Quite out of the gewgaw stage.”

   • 2011, Will Self, "The frowniest spot on Earth", London Review of Books, XXXIII.9:

     You or I may well view our desire to push buttons and order new electronic gewgaws as the mere reflex spasms of consumerism, but to this dynamic duo the future of the earth depends on our instant gratification more than anything else.

Translations

Adjective

gewgaw (not comparable)

1. Showy; unreal; pretentious.
   • 1678, Dryden, John, All for Love, Scene II,

     The rattle of a globe to play withal,

     This gewgaw world, and put him cheaply off;

   • 1855, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Maud; A Monodrama, X, stanza 1,

     Seeing his gewgaw castle shine,

     New as his title, built last year.

Synonyms

• gewgawish

Derived terms

• Jew's harp (possibly)