bibelot

noun

bi·​be·​lot ˈbē-bə-ˌlō 

plural bibelots ˈbē-bə-ˌlō(z) 

: a small household ornament or decorative object : trinket

Did you know?

The English language, it would seem, can’t get enough of synonyms for trinket, including gewgaw, gimcrack, and knickknack, just as lovers of tchotchkes can’t get enough of such ornamental trifles. Lady Charlotte Guest (1812-1895) was just such a lover of baubles and bric-a-brac. Not only was Guest an accomplished linguist, educator, publisher, and philanthropist, she also amassed collections of everything from porcelain to playing cards, which she ultimately donated to museums. We also have Guest to thank for the first known use in English of the French word for “trinket,” bibelot, which she recorded in a journal entry in 1873 while in Paris: “After 3, walked up to Lady Hopetoun’s to amuse her with some of our little bibelots.”

Synonyms of bibelot

• ornamental
• ornament

Examples of bibelot in a Sentence

practically every horizontal surface in the Victorian parlor was blanketed with fussy little bibelots

Recent Examples on the Web

The painting then remained in the artist’s possession and out of public sight until it was bought, in 1927, as a chic bibelot for a swanky members-only social club in London. — Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022

Bruno Magli’s luxe nappa leather bibelot upgrades the standard-issue, white plastic AirPods case. — Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 2021

Inside there is a small desk with a computer; a bookshelf is adorned with bibelots and certificates of appreciation with her name in fancy script. — New York Times, 29 May 2018

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

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