Word Study
nosegay
CIDE DICTIONARY
nosegay, n. [Nose + gay in the sense of a gay or showy thing.].
A bunch of odorous and showy flowers; a bouquet; a posy. Pope. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
nosegay, n. a bunch of flowers, esp. a sweet-scented posy.
Etymology
NOSE + GAY in obs. use = ornament
THESAURUS
nosegay
aroma, bale, balminess, bindle, bolt, boughpot, bouquet, boutonniere, budget, bundle, buttonhole, chaplet, corsage, deck, fagot, fardel, fasces, fascine, festoon, flower arrangement, fragrance, fragrancy, fruitiness, garland, incense, lei, muskiness, odor, pack, package, packet, parcel, perfume, posy, quiver, redolence, roll, rouleau, scent, sheaf, spice, spiciness, spray, sweet savor, sweet smell, truss, wreathROGET THESAURUS
nosegay
Ornament
N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.Fragrance
N fragrance, aroma, redolence, perfume, bouquet, essence, scent, sweet smell, aromatic perfume, agalloch, agallochium, aloes wood, bay rum, calambac, calambour, champak, horehound, lign-aloes, marrubium, mint, muskrat, napha water, olibanum, spirit of myrcia, essential oil, incense, musk, frankincense, pastil, pastille, myrrh, perfumes of Arabia, otto, ottar, attar, bergamot, balm, civet, potpourri, pulvil, nosegay, scentbag, sachet, smelling bottle, vinaigrette, eau de Cologne, toilet water, lotion, after-shave lotion, thurification, perfumer, eucalyptus oil, pinene, fragrant, aromatic, redolent, spicy, savory, balmy, scented, sweet-smelling, sweet-scented, perfumed, perfumatory, thuriferous, fragrant as a rose, muscadine, ambrosial.For further exploring for "nosegay" in Webster Dictionary Online