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Definition of paltry - 4 dictionary results
pal⋅try
[pawl-tree] 
tri
–adjective, -tri⋅er, -tri⋅est.
| 1. | ridiculously or insultingly small: a paltry sum. |
| 2. | utterly worthless. |
| 3. | mean or contemptible: a paltry coward. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To paltry
| pal·try (pôl'trē) adj. pal·tri·er, pal·tri·est
[Probably from obsolete and dialectal paltry, trash, perhaps from Low German paltrig, ragged, from palte, rag.] pal'tri·ly adv., pal'tri·ness n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Paltry
Pal"try\, a. [Compar. Paltrier; superl. Paltriest.] [Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. paltering ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.] Mean; vile; worthless; despicable; contemptible; pitiful; trifling; as, a paltry excuse; paltry gold. --Cowper. The paltry prize is hardly worth the cost. --Byron. Syn: See Contemptible.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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paltry (adj.)
1570, probably adj. use of noun paltry "worthless thing" (1556), associated with dial. palt, pelt "trash," cognate with M.L.G. and E.Fris. palte "rag," M.Du. palt "broken or torn fragment." Cf. Low Ger. paltrig "rubbishy," E.Fris. palterig "ragged, torn."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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