shoddy

the word 'shoddy' entered english in the early 19th century from the industrial vocabulary of the textile trade in yorkshire. it originally referred to a cheap, low-quality material made from shredded woolen rags or waste, which was reprocessed and rewoven. the term is thought to derive from an earlier dialect word, though its ultimate origin is uncertain. from this literal meaning of inferior fabric, the sense broadened metaphorically to describe anything of poor quality or dishonest character, capturing the idea of something being made from worthless or reconstituted materials.

the word is a simplex form. it is a loanword whose spelling and form have been anglicized from its source.