fal-lals

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Trumpery ornaments, gewgaws. Forby suggests as a derivation the Latin PHALERÆ, horse trappings.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “fal-lals” mean?

Trumpery ornaments, gewgaws. Forby suggests as a derivation the Latin PHALERÆ, horse trappings.

Is “fal-lals” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.