/ ˈtæki; NAmE / adjective ( tack·ier , tacki·est )
1.
( informal ) cheap, badly made and/or lacking in taste :
tacky souvenirs
The movie had a really tacky ending.
2.
( of paint, glue, etc. ) not dry and therefore slightly sticky
► tacki·ness noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
sense 1 early 19th cent.: of unknown origin. Early use was as a noun denoting a horse of little value, later applied to a poor white in some Southern states of the US, hence shabby, cheap, in bad taste (mid 19th cent.).