Plural of frippery; ornamental items of no practical value, or frivolous clothing and accessories.
Plural of 'frippery,' from French 'friperie' (secondhand clothing trade), derived from 'frippe' (shabby or worn). The meaning evolved from dealing in old clothes to describe any frivolous or unnecessary ornamentation.
Shakespeare and his contemporaries used 'frippery' to criticize courtiers who wasted money on fancy clothes and jewelry instead of substance—it's a word that carries moral judgment about wasteful consumption, showing how language embeds social values.
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