frippery

noun

frip·​pery ˈfri-p(ə-)rē How to pronounce frippery (audio)
plural fripperies
1
obsolete
a
: cast-off clothes
b
archaic : a place where old clothes are sold
2
a
: finery
also : an elegant or showy garment
b
: something showy, frivolous, or nonessential
c
: ostentation
especially : something foolish or affectedly elegant

Examples of frippery in a Sentence

The design is simple and devoid of needless frippery. dressed in their most elegant frippery for the big gala at the symphony
Recent Examples on the Web He’s focused on more than fripperies, though: there are three Internet carriers here, for a double back up and blazing speeds, as well as cell service across the property, a rarity even at the toniest lodges. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2023 But Anderson seemed to find humor in Gothic furniture, too — in its Baroque frippery, its weirdness. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Oct. 2023 Belafonte turned the famous into folks, mixing the frippery of the format with the gravitas of the moment. Wesley Morris, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2023 The list of standard frippery is cranked up a notch for the GLE53. Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 19 Apr. 2023 But who has time for such frippery? Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 7 Oct. 2020 How can the Zelenskys indulge in such frippery when there’s a war on? Melik Kaylan, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 Back in 1990, the CRX Si didn't have airbags, let alone touchscreens or digital frippery. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 13 June 2022 My Lightning is the ideal Lightning, bereft of frippery but fitted with the most powerful motors, an homage to its tail-happy namesake. Car and Driver, 11 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frippery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French friperie, alteration of Old French freperie, from frepe old garment

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of frippery was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near frippery

Cite this Entry

“Frippery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frippery. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

frippery

noun
frip·​pery ˈfrip-(ə-)rē How to pronounce frippery (audio)
plural fripperies
1
: showy or elegant clothing
2
: something that is not necessary, not serious, or not important

More from Merriam-Webster on frippery

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!