different between worthless vs gimcrack

English

Etymology

From Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþl?as (“worthless”), equivalent to worth +? -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?w??l?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w???l?s/

Adjective

worthless (comparative more worthless or worthlesser, superlative most worthless or worthlessest)

1. Having no worth or use; without value.

   Synonyms: miserable, useless, valueless, inconsequential

   Antonyms: precious, useful, valuable, worthful, worthy

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Strehlows

English

Alternative forms

• jimcrack

Etymology

Unknown

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d???mk?æk/

Adjective

gimcrack (not comparable)

1. Showy but of poor quality; worthless.

Noun

gimcrack (plural gimcracks)

1. Something showy but worthless; a gimmick or bauble.
   • 1847–1848, William Thackeray, Vanity Fair:

     […] he came home to find […] honest Swartz in her favourite amber-coloured satin, with turquoise bracelets, countless rings, flowers, feathers, and all sorts of tags and gimcracks, about as elegantly decorated as a she chimney-sweep on May-day.

Derived terms

• gimcrackery

Verb

gimcrack (third-person singular simple present gimcracks, present participle gimcracking, simple past and past participle gimcracked)

1. (transitive) To put together quickly and without much care; to bodge.
2. (transitive) To embellish with gimcracks.