Gew"gaw (?), n. [OE. gigawe, gugawe, gewgaude, prob. the same word as OE. givegove gewgaw, apparently a reduplicated form fr. AS. gifan to give; cf. also F. joujou plaything, and E. gaud, n. See Give, and cf. Giffgaff.]
A showy trifle; a toy; a splendid plaything; a pretty but worthless bauble.
A heavy gewgaw called a crown.
Dryden.
© Webster 1913.
Gew"gaw, a.
Showy; unreal; pretentious.
Seeing his gewgaw castle shine.
Tennyson.
© Webster 1913.