garish

English

Etymology

Perhaps from Old Norse gaurr (“rough fellow”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈɡɛəɹɪʃ/
• (US) IPA: /ˈɡɛːɹɪʃ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

garish (comparative more garish, superlative most garish)

1. Overly ostentatious; so colourful as to be in bad taste.
   • The dress fits her well, but the pattern is rather garish.
   • 1907, Robert Chambers, chapter 8, The Younger Set^[1]:

     “ My tastes,” he said, still smiling, “ incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet.” And, to tease her and arouse her to combat : “ I prefer a farandole to a nocturne ; I'd rather have a painting than an etching ; … ”

   • 2003 August 10, Ken Keeler, "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings", Futurama, season 5, episode 16, Fox Broadcasting Company

     Leela: He gave me mechanical ears / Effective though just a bit garish.

Translations

overly ostentatious; so colourful as to be in bad taste

• Dutch: wansmakelijk (nl), schreeuwlelijk (nl)
• Greek: χτυπητός (el) (chtypitós) , φανταχτερός (el) (fantachterós) 
• Hungarian: feltűnő (hu), rikító (hu), ízléstelen (hu)
• Italian: pacchiano (it)

• Polish: jaskrawy (pl) m, krzykliwy (pl) m
• Russian: кричащий (ru) (kričáščij) , показной (ru) (pokaznój) 
• Swedish: gräll (sv)