English Explanatory Dictionary

garish

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Overly ostentatious; so colorful as to be in bad taste.

Pronunciation

/ˈɡɛəɹɪʃ/ /ˈɡɛːɹɪʃ/ /ˈɡɛɹɪʃ/ en-us-garish.ogg /ˈɡeːɹɪʃ/ /ˈɡeəɹɪʃ/ /ˈɡiəɹɪʃ/ /ˈɡeɾɪʃ/ /ˈɡɜːɹɪʃ/

Word forms

garish more garish most garish

Etymology

Unknown, possibly from obsolete Middle English gawren (“to stare”) which is of uncertain origin, probably from Old Norse gá (“to watch, heed”) or gaurr (“rough fellow”) (Proto-Indo-European *gʰow-rós, from *gʰew- (“to be angry”)). Compare with English gaw.

Synonyms

bedizened blatant blingish brash campy catchpenny chichi chintzy corny crass crude flashy flaunting florid flossy froufrou garish gauche gaudy gay glaring gross gussied up hideous kitsch kitschy loud meretricious naff obtrusive ostentatious pizazzy pretentious ritzy raffish schlocky showy snazzy splendiferous tacky tasteless tawdry tinselly too much trinkety unbecoming untasteful vain whorish zesty

Derived words

garishly garishness nongarish
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