Tastelessly bright, showy, or extravagant in appearance; overly decorated or colorful in a way that lacks elegance.
Possibly derived from Latin 'gaudium' meaning 'joy' or from the French name 'Claude.' The original sense may have been 'joyful' or 'showy,' evolving to mean 'excessively showy' by the 1600s.
Interestingly, what counts as 'gaudy' changes dramatically across cultures and time periods—Victorian Victorians loved bright patterns that modern designers call gaudy! Fashion historian admit that today's 'gaudy' is often tomorrow's 'retro chic.'
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