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gim·mick (gĭmĭk)
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n.
1.
a. An innovative idea or stratagem that is used to attract attention or business but has little or no intrinsic value: "Mr. Freed tried every gimmick to attract customers, once even installing a traffic light in front of the restaurant to force cars to stop" (Sam Roberts).
b. A significant feature that is obscured, misrepresented, or not readily evident; a catch: This deal seems too good to be true. What's the gimmick?
2.
a. A device employed to cheat, deceive, or trick, especially a mechanism for the secret and dishonest control of gambling apparatus.
b. An innovative or unusual mechanical contrivance; a gadget.
3. A small object whose name does not come readily to mind.
tr.v. gim·micked, gim·mick·ing, gim·micks
1. To add gimmicks to; clutter with gadgets or attention-getting details. Often used with up.
2. To change or affect by means of a gimmick.
[Origin unknown.]
gimmick·y adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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