'gaudy' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'gaud,' where 'gaud' meant 'a showy ornament or trinket.'

'gaud' transformed into the adjective 'gaudy' in the 16th century, eventually becoming the modern English word 'gaudy.'

Initially, it meant 'a showy ornament,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless.'