bauble

noun

bau·​ble ˈbȯ-bəl 

ˈbä-

1

: trinket sense 1

He affixed the bauble, with a kiss, upon her middle finger …

—Elinor Wylie

2

: a scepter of a fool (see fool entry 1 sense 2a)

… the licensed jester … brandished his bauble …

—Sir Walter Scott

3

: something of trifling appeal

4

British : ornament

specifically : a Christmas ornament

Our tree was decorated, most tastefully, with apt baubles bought from Georg Jensen.

—Geoffrey Wolff

Synonyms

• bibelot
• curio
• curiosity
• doodad
• gaud
• gewgaw
• geegaw
• gimcrack
• kickshaw
• knickknack
• nicknack
• novelty
• ornamental
• tchotchke
• trinket

Examples of bauble in a Sentence

picked up some cheap baubles at the fair

Recent Examples on the Web

The video then shows a person holding a shiny bauble, with a gravel-like sound being audible as the ornament is moved. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

Print out the sheet music for the Christmas carol—which was composed almost two centuries ago— and cut it into strips which are thin enough to fit inside a bauble, but large enough to be recognizable as musical score. —Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Dec. 2024

Other contemporary favorites on sale include baubles from Rabanne and Completedworks, while the diamond-lovers out there will be drawn to the spectacular tennis bracelets from Saks Fifth Avenue’s private fine jewelry line. —Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024

Now, don’t start wrapping the evergreen with strands and adorning it with baubles, garland, and tinsel quite yet. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English babel, from Middle French

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bauble

noun

bau·​ble ˈbȯ-bəl 

ˈbäb-əl

: an object of little value