A Word A Day — gimcrack

with Anu Garg

gimcrack

(JIM-krak)

noun: Something cheap and showy, of little use.
adjective: Showy, but worthless.

Of uncertain origin, perhaps an alteration of Middle English gibecrake (small ornament), possibly from Old French giber (to shake).

“Uncle Rabid Prophet TechEye has worshiped more gimcrack bits of junk and practiced more half-baked religions than all of Hollywood combined.”
Bow Down And Open Your Wallet; Warsaw Business Journal (Poland); Aug 21, 2006.

Explore “gimcrack” in the Visual Thesaurus.

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument. -William G. McAdoo, lawyer and politician (1863-1941)