bauble

noun

bau·​ble ˈbȯ-bəl How to pronounce bauble (audio)
ˈbä-
1
: trinket sense 1
He affixed the bauble, with a kiss, upon her middle finger …Elinor Wylie
2
: a scepter of a fool (see fool entry 1 sense 2a)
… the licensed jester … brandished his baubleSir Walter Scott
3
: something of trifling appeal
4
British : ornament
specifically : a Christmas ornament
Our tree was decorated, most tastefully, with apt baubles bought from Georg Jensen. Geoffrey Wolff

Example Sentences

picked up some cheap baubles at the fair
Recent Examples on the Web Who doesn't love opening a jewelry box and being presented with a new bauble to wear? Sarah Lyon, goodhousekeeping.com, 17 May 2023 Some may have held onto their baubles in the pools to prevent the valuables from being stolen. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 1 May 2023 The modern tradition arguably found its earliest expression in the work of Andrew Grima, the Anglo-Italian designer whose idiosyncratic gold baubles earned him a reputation as a society jeweler in 1960s and ’70s London. Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2023 Of course, there was no shortage of glamorous moments, too, as metallics and statement baubles were seemingly agreed upon must-haves across the shows. Kendall Becker, refinery29.com, 16 Feb. 2023 After Victoria was spotted wearing it, thousands of similar baubles were sold at jewelry shops throughout Europe and America. Katy Kelleher, refinery29.com, 2 May 2023 Today, the tradition lives on through stunning, symbolic baubles worn by style stars like Suki Waterhouse, who stepped out for the Daisy Jones & The Six premiere wearing a pricey goddess coin signet ring. Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2023 Today, SoFi the bank can hook you up with a checking account, and the company offers all manner of trendy baubles, like crypto and options trading. Ron Lieber, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2023 There were flowers, a massive bauble, and of course, the love of her life, Christian McCaffrey. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bauble.' 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 English babel, from Middle French

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bauble was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bauble

Cite this Entry

“Bauble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bauble. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

bauble

noun
bau·​ble ˈbȯ-bəl How to pronounce bauble (audio)
ˈbäb-əl
: an object of little value

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