bric-a-brac
UK[ˌbrɪk əˈbræk]US[ˌbrɪk əˈbræk]
n
Small decorative objects or ornaments of little value.
Etymology
The term 'bric-a-brac' entered English in the mid-19th century from the French phrase bric-à-brac, which itself is a fanciful, reduplicated formation. It originates from the obsolete French word bric, meaning a "piece" or a "bit," akin to the modern French bricole (a trifle, a small job). The reduplicated, rhyming suffix -à-brac serves no independent meaning but creates a jingling, playful sound evocative of a jumble of assorted, often worthless, knick-knacks. This phonetic playfulness directly shaped the word's semantic journey, moving from a literal sense of "odds and ends" to its modern, slightly depreciative meaning denoting miscellaneous decorative curios of little intrinsic value.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from French, formed by reduplication of the obsolete French word bric (meaning "piece, fragment"). The reduplicative pattern a-brac is a rhyming, nonsense addition, creating a playful, onomatopoeic effect for a collection of miscellaneous items.
Examples
The shelves were cluttered with all sorts of bric-a-brac collected from their travels.
She enjoys browsing flea markets for interesting bric-a-brac.
We cleared out the attic, getting rid of decades of accumulated bric-a-brac.