• (RP) IPA: /ˈnəʊzɡeɪ/
• (GA) IPA: /ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/

nosegay (plural nosegays)

1. A small bunch#Noun|bunch of fragrant flower#Noun|flowers or herbs tie#Verb|tied in a bundle#Noun|bundle, often present#Verb|presented as a gift#Noun|gift; nosegays were originally intended to be put to the nose#Noun|nose for the pleasant sensation or to mask#Verb|mask unpleasant odours. [from 15th c.]

   Synonyms: posy

   • 1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, “Here Beginneth the First Epistle and First Booke of Orator Gabriell to the Catilinaries or Philippicks”, in The Apologie of Pierce Pennilesse. Or, Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters: […], Printed at London: By Iohn Danter, […], OCLC 222196160 ↗; republished as John Payne Collier, editor, Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters […] (Miscellaneous Tracts; Temp. Eliz. and Jac. I), [London: s.n., 1870], OCLC 906587369 ↗, page 17 ↗:

     [N]o more is Pierce Pennileſſe to be cald the Devils Orator for making a Supplication to the Devill, than hee is to bee helde for a Rhethoritian for ſetting foorth Gabrielis Scurvei Rhetor, wherein hee thought to have knockt out the braines of poore Tullies Orator, but in veritie did nothing elſe, but gather a flauntinge unſavory ſore-horſe noſegay out of his well furniſhed garland.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXXIX, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, OCLC 4293071 ↗, page 307 ↗:

     At the far end of the houses the head gardener stood waiting for his mistress, and he gave her strips of bass to tie up her nosegay. This she did slowly and laboriously, with knuckly old fingers that shook.

2. (figuratively) An aroma, a scent#Noun|scent.

• French: petit bouquet
• German: Biedermeiersträußchen, Blumensträußchen, Sträußchen
• Italian: erbe aromatiche, mazzetto, mazzolino
• Portuguese: ramalhete
• Russian: буке́тик
• Spanish: ramillete