noun
bauble
BAW-bul/ˈbɔːbl/
A small, showy ornament of little value.
The market stall sparkles with cheap bracelets and colorful baubles.
Etymology
The ancestor meant a child’s toy or trinket. The later sense of something of little value adds a dismissive judgment to the earlier idea of a showy ornament.
In context
"whatever is to become of the bauble, you might express your opinion in more sensible language."
More examples
- She chooses a bright glass bauble for the display.
- The ring is a pretty bauble, not a valuable gem.
- He dismisses the glittering ornaments as mere baubles.
Forms
bauble · baubles