tchotchke

American  

[chahch-kuh] / ˈtʃɑtʃ kə /

Or chotchke

noun

Slang.

1. an inexpensive souvenir, trinket, or ornament.

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Usage

What does tchotchke mean? A tchotchke is a small, cheap, ornamental trinket or souvenir; a knickknack.Tchotchke is taken from Yiddish, a dialect of German based on Hebrew. It has several English spellings, including chotchke, tchachke, and chachki. In Yiddish, it is also sometimes used as a term for a young girl or pretty woman.Example: My mother can’t go on vacation without coming back with a few tchotchkes.

Etymology

Origin of tchotchke

First recorded in 1965–70, from Yiddish tshatshke, from Polish czaczko “bibelot, knickknack” (now obsolete; compare modern cacko with same sense, originally dialect); of expressive origin

Example Sentences

The setting: a two-story home in Whittier prettied with holiday decorations, pet beds, American flags and a shelf of tchotchkes dedicated to John Wayne.

From Los Angeles Times

For Li, the key to getting the less-coveted stuff out of his living room was strategic bundling—pairing smaller tchotchkes with big-ticket items that drew in competitive buyers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Executives monitored sporadic complaints online over menu changes and renovated locations with fewer wall-hanging tchotchkes.

From The Wall Street Journal

The North Hollywood house, which songwriter Allee Willis first purchased in 1980 and turned into a living ode to all things kitsch, is awash in trinkets and tchotchkes.

From Los Angeles Times

Or consider a tchotchke that is intended to help decorate a home.

From Los Angeles Times