Bauble

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: [ˈbɔːbəɫ]

Definitions

1. A small, shiny ornament or trinket of little value, often used as a Christmas decoration
2. A small decorative object that is often shiny and serves little practical purpose, commonly considered trivial or lacking in real value
3. A decorative item that is often small, shiny, and considered to have little worth, frequently used for embellishment or as part of festive decor

Etymology: The word "bauble" passed into English from Old French "babel" or "baubel," a term for a trinket or a child's toy. Its shape looks like a doubled word, and that is the likely explanation: French speakers may have repeated "bel," meaning "pretty," to make a playful, baby-talk style name for a small, pleasing object. "Bel" itself traces back to Latin "bellus," which carried the same sense of "pretty" or "fine." The English form appeared in Middle English in several spellings, including "bable," "babel," and "babull," which shows how loosely the word was spelled before printed standards settled things. Early uses referred to cheap playthings and small ornaments, and the sense of worthlessness was present from the start. A "bauble" was something to delight the eye rather than something of real value.

Synonyms: trinket, gadget, ornament, knickknack, novelty