Trinkum

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small, cheap decorative object of little value, such as a trinket or knickknack
2. A minor ornament or bauble kept as a curiosity or for its decorative appeal
3. Any little piece of decorative trifle, often kept as a keepsake or simply for show

Etymology: "Trinkum" is a pseudo-Latinism, a word that looks like it comes from Latin but was really built in English. It combines "trinket," a small ornament or trifle, with the ending "-um," which imitates the Latin neuter nouns that English writers liked to borrow from, such as "museum" or "premium." The result is a mock-learned word for a bit of nonsense or a showy trifle. Because the Latin ending is only decoration, the word has no genuine Latin ancestor behind it. Its shape was meant to sound weighty and scholarly while the meaning stays light and playful. This is why it reads as humorous: the form promises learning and the sense delivers a knick-knack.