The Etymology of 'Gaudy': A History of the Word's Meaning

The word "gaudy" comes from the medieval Latin word "gaudia," meaning "rejoicing" or "merry-making." In Middle English, the word "gaudy" was used to describe something that was bright and showy, often in a negative sense. By the 16th century, the word had come to mean something that was excessively or tastelessly ornamented. Today, the word "gaudy" is used to describe something that is flashy, vulgar, or ostentatious.