What's the difference between gaud and gewgaw?

Gaud


Definition:

  • (n.) Trick; jest; sport.
  • (n.) Deceit; fraud; artifice; device.
  • (n.) An ornament; a piece of worthless finery; a trinket.
  • (n.) To sport or keep festival.
  • (v. t.) To bedeck gaudily; to decorate with gauds or showy trinkets or colors; to paint.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Two new feather mite species of Aralichus Gaud (Pterolichoidea, Pterolichidae) are described from the white-capped parrot Pionus senilis (Spix): Aralichus elongatus and Aralichus menchacai.

Gewgaw


Definition:

  • (n.) A showy trifle; a toy; a splendid plaything; a pretty but worthless bauble.
  • (a.) Showy; unreal; pretentious.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Now, with the initial euphoria subsided, the time has come to see just how playable these new gewgaws actually are.
  • (2) Luckily, George Lucas had the foresight to license his creation to toy companies, so children could harass their parents to buy them officially branded gewgaws.
  • (3) Consumers who still “aspire” to own something by the brand will theoretically then spend less money on some proportionately even more overpriced gewgaw such as a purse or keyring.