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Gaudy vs Trumpery - What's the difference?

gaudy | trumpery |

In obsolete terms the difference between gaudy and trumpery

is that gaudy is gay; merry; festive while trumpery is deceit; fraud.

As adjectives the difference between gaudy and trumpery

is that gaudy is very showy or ornamented, now especially when excessive, or in a tasteless or vulgar manner while trumpery is gaudy but of no value.

As nouns the difference between gaudy and trumpery

is that gaudy is one of the large beads in the rosary at which the paternoster is recited while trumpery is worthless finery; bric-a-brac or junk.

gaudy

English

Etymology 1

Origin uncertain; perhaps from . A common claim that the word derives from , is not supported by evidence (the word was in use at least half a century before Gaudí was born).

Adjective

(er)
  • very showy or ornamented, now especially when excessive, or in a tasteless or vulgar manner
  • * Shakespeare
    • Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, / But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy .
  • * 1813 , , Pride and Prejudice
    • The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of its proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine; with less of splendour, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.
  • * 1887 , Homer Greene, Burnham Breaker
    • A large gaudy , flowing cravat, and an ill-used silk hat, set well back on the wearer's head, completed this somewhat noticeable costume.
  • * 2005 , Thomas Hauser & Marilyn Cole Lownes, "How Bling-bling Took Over the Ring", The Observer , 9 January 2005
    • Gaudy jewellery might offend some people's sense of style. But former heavyweight champion and grilling-machine entrepreneur George Foreman is philosophical about today's craze for bling-bling.
  • (obsolete) gay; merry; festive
    • (Tennyson)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Let's have one other gaudy night.
  • * Twain
    • And then, there he was, slim and handsome, and dressed the gaudiest and prettiest you ever saw...
    Synonyms
    * (excessively showy) tawdry, flashy, garish, kitschy *
    Derived terms
    * gaudily * gaudy night

    Noun

    (gaudies)
  • One of the large beads in the rosary at which the paternoster is recited.
    • (Gower)

    Etymology 2

    From Latin gaudium "joy".

    Noun

    (gaudies)
  • A reunion held by one of the colleges of the University of Oxford for alumni, normally held during the summer vacations.

    • trumpery

    English

    Noun

    (trumperies)
  • worthless finery; bric-a-brac or junk
  • * 1610 , , act 4 scene 1
    • (Prospero, to Ariel)
    This was well done, my bird.
    Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
    The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither
    For stale to catch these thieves.
  • nonsense
  • * South
    • Upon the coming of Christ, very much, though not all, of this idolatrous trumpery and superstition was driven out of the world.
  • (obsolete) deceit; fraud
    • (Grenewey)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • gaudy but of no value
  • * 1954 , Anthony Buckeridge, According to Jennings
    • “Of all the trumpery moonshine!” Mr Wilkins exploded. “What do you think you're playing at, Jennings!”