Word of the Day
Friday, December 10, 1999
clinquant
\KLING-kunt\ , adjective, noun;
1.
Glittering with gold or silver; tinseled.
noun:
1.
Tinsel; imitation gold leaf.
Quotes:
Fine sparks... very clinquant, slight, and bright... make a very pretty show.
-- Thomas Shadwell, The Virtuoso
In 'clinquant gold' the sovereign sun walks round.
-- Fraser's Magazine, no. 115, 1839
Origin:
Clinquant is from French, glistening, tinkling, present participle of obsolete clinquer, to clink, perhaps from Middle Dutch klinken.
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