tawdry
Meaning
-
- Cheap and gaudy; showy.
- Unseemly, base, shameful.
Synonyms
Brummagem
cheap-looking
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈtɔːdɹi/
Etymology
In summary
Shortened from tawdry lace; originally a corruption and rebracketing of Saint Audrey lace (from Old English Æðelþryð). The lace necklaces sold to pilgrims to Saint Audrey fell out of fashion in the 17th century, and so tawdry was reinterpreted as meaning “cheap” or “vulgar”.
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Notes