Plural of gaud; cheap, showy ornaments, trinkets, or jewelry considered tasteless.
From Middle English 'gaude,' possibly from Latin 'gaudium' (joy), referring to ornamental beads or cheap decorative objects.
Historically, 'gauds' referred to ornamental prayer beads, then shifted to mean any cheap showy trinket—it's a fascinating example of how luxuries can become insults once they're mass-produced.
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