Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Origin: tawdry lace 'necklace' (16-18 centuries), from St. Audrey's lace, from St. Audrey 7th-century queen of Northumbria, England; because it was originally sold at fairs in honor of St. Audrey

tawdry

 adjective
     
taw‧dry
1 cheaply and badly made:
tawdry jewellery and fake furs
2 showing low moral standards:
a tawdry tale of lies and deception
—tawdriness noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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