trumpery

Definition

Worthless or deceptive nonsense; something showy but of little value or substance. Can refer to both fraudulent objects and empty rhetoric or false claims designed to deceive.

Example Usage

The politician dismissed his opponent's campaign promises as mere trumpery designed to mislead voters.

Origin

From French tromperie (deception), derived from tromper (to deceive); entered English in the 16th century.

Fun Fact

Despite its modern association, 'trumpery' has no etymological connection to the word 'trump' as a playing card or to the surname Trump, though the phonetic similarity often causes confusion.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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