Baudery

/ˈbɔː.də.ri/ noun

Definition

Showy or ostentatious display, especially of clothing or finery; gaudy ornamentation.

Etymology

From 'baud' (a word for display or finery, possibly related to 'bawdy' or 'bawd') plus '-ery' suffix. The term carries a judgmental tone suggesting excess in ornamentation.

Kelly Says

The existence of a specific word for 'showy excess in decoration' reveals how much medieval and Renaissance cultures were obsessed with controlling and judging how people displayed wealth—sumptuary laws actually punished wearing too much finery.

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