Often shortened to: Brum. an informal name for Birmingham
(sometimes not capital) something that is cheap and flashy, esp imitation jewellery
First recorded in 1675–85; local variant of Birmingham, England (compare Bromwichham, Bromecham (17th century), Middle English Burmingeham ); originally in allusion to counterfeit coins produced there in the 17th century
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rosary-like, 202-page addenda to Author-Naturalist Peattie's An Almanac for Moderns, brummagem "classic."
From Time Magazine Archive
More than that, she has lived a life so rich in history that, by comparison, the attractive twentysomethings the Food Network so desperately wants to turn into stars seem like brummagem pretenders.
From Time Magazine Archive
Climax of the whole brummagem business was the "Zoro Gardens."
From Time Magazine Archive
The outside of the car features leaded windows, cream panels, false brickwork and fake timbers, and the motif of brummagem antiquity is carried on inside.
From Time Magazine Archive
In spite of his "brummagem" courage the wrath of the violent god was tremendous to him.
From Marion Fay by Trollope, Anthony
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
