Where does “gewgaw” come from?
gewgaw (English) comes from English gugaw, from Middle English givegove, from Middle English give, from Old English ġiefu, from Proto-West Germanic gebu, from Proto-Germanic gebō — gift; name of the G-rune.
gewgaw (English): A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament...
Definitions
- A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament...
Ancestry of “gewgaw”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | gugaw | — |
| 2 | Middle English | givegove | gewgaw, trifle |
| 3 | Middle English | give | suggest, given |
| 4 | Old English | ġiefu | gift |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | gebu | gift |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | gebō | gift; name of the G-rune |
Words derived from “gewgaw”