Standard Lemma guide

frippery

noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfɹɪpəɹi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Ostentation, as in fancy clothing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Useless things; trifles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Cast-off clothes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The trade or traffic in old clothes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The place where old clothes are sold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Hence: secondhand finery; cheap and tawdry decoration; affected elegance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

something of little value or significance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bagatelle, fluff, frivolity

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: triviality, trivia, trifle, small beer

History

Etymology

From French friperie, from Old French fripier (“to rub up and down, to wear into rags”). Compare fripper.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: дрънкулки (drǎnkulki) — Useless things; trifles
  • Czech: tretky — Useless things; trifles
  • Russian: мишура (mišura) — Useless things; trifles
  • Russian: безделушки (bezdeluški) — Useless things; trifles
  • Czech: laciná paráda — secondhand finery; cheap and tawdry decoration; affected elegance
  • French: oripeaux — secondhand finery; cheap and tawdry decoration; affected elegance