A nosegay is, thus, an ornament that appeals to the nose or nostril. The term nosegay arose in fifteenth-century Middle English as a combination of nose and gay (the latter then meaning 'ornament').
Alternatively, 'posy holders', available in a variety of shapes and materials (although often silver), enable the wearing of these arrangements 'at the waist, in the hair, or secured with a brooch'. Doilies are traditionally used to bind the stems in these arrangements. They have existed in some form since at least medieval times, when they were carried or worn around the head or bodice. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip hold nosegays by Rosemary Hughes as they leave Wakefield Cathedral after the 2005 Royal MaundyĪ nosegay, posy, or tussie-mussie is a small flower bouquet, typically given as a gift.
