bric-a-brac

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from French bric-à-brac (“miscellaneous items of little value”), apparently from à bricq et à bracq (“at random; haphazardly”); bricq and bracq are expressive onomatopoeias of obscure origin. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbɹɪkəbɹæk/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈbɹɪkəˌbɹæk/ === Noun === bric-a-brac (usually uncountable, plural bric-a-brac) (also attributively) Small ornaments and other miscellaneous display items of little value. Synonyms: brickety-brack, knick-knacks, novelty item; see also Thesaurus:trinket (by extension) Any collection containing a variety of miscellaneous items; a hodgepodge, an olio. Synonyms: mishmash, oddments, curios, ornaments, baubles; see also Thesaurus:hodgepodge Antonyms: valuables, treasures ==== Alternative forms ==== bricabrac, bric-à-brac, brick-a-brack ==== Derived terms ==== bric-a-bracker (rare) bric-a-brackery, bric-a-bracquerie brickety-brack ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === bric-à-brac on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Bric à Brac in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911) == Italian == === Noun === bric-a-brac m (invariable) bric-a-brac Synonyms: cianfrusaglia, ciarpame, paccottaglia