The word 'tawdry' has a fascinating origin story rooted in a medieval fair. It is a contraction of "Saint Audrey's lace," referring to cheap necklaces and finery sold at the annual St. Audrey's Fair in Ely, England. Saint Audrey (a corruption of St. Etheldreda) was said to have died of a throat tumor, which she considered divine punishment for her youthful fondness for necklaces. Over time, the goods sold at her fair became proverbial for their gaudy, cheap quality. Thus, the word evolved from a proper noun into a common adjective describing anything showy and cheap, capturing the literal merchandise's descent into a metaphor for poor taste.

The word is a simplex. It is a loanword derived from a specific historical phrase and does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English.