gewgaw

Etymology

This word comes from earlier forms gugaw and gygaw, which came from Middle English givegove (“gewgaw, trifle”), a reduplication of Middle English give, geove (“gift”). That in turn goes back to Old English giefu, geofu, geafu (“gift”), from Proto-Germanic *gebō (“gift”). Compare Icelandic gyligjöf (“showy gifts, gewgaw”). See also give.