tri·fling

[trahy-fling]
adjective
1.
of very little importance; trivial; insignificant: a trifling matter.
2.
of small value, cost, or amount: a trifling sum.
3.
frivolous; shallow; light: trifling conversation.
4.
mean; worthless.
noun
5.
idle or frivolous conduct, talk, etc.
6.
foolish delay or waste of time.
00:10
Trifling is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English; see trifle, -ing2, -ing1

tri·fling·ly, adverb
tri·fling·ness, noun
un·tri·fling, adjective
un·tri·fling·ly, adverb


1. unimportant, slight, inconsequential. See petty. 2. negligible, piddling.


1. important.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

tri·fle

[trahy-fuhl] noun, verb, tri·fled, tri·fling.
noun
1.
an article or thing of very little value.
2.
a matter, affair, or circumstance of trivial importance or significance.
3.
a small, inconsiderable, or trifling sum of money.
4.
a small quantity or amount of anything; a little: She's still a trifle angry.
5.
a literary, musical, or artistic work of a light or trivial character having no great or lasting merit; bagatelle.
6.
a kind of pewter of medium hardness.
7.
trifles, articles made of this.
8.
English Cookery. a dessert usually consisting of custard and cake soaked in wine or liqueur, and jam, fruit, or the like.
verb (used without object)
9.
to deal lightly or without due seriousness or respect: Don't trifle with me!
10.
to play or toy by handling or fingering: He sat trifling with a pen.
11.
to act or talk in an idle or frivolous way.
12.
to pass time idly or frivolously; waste time; idle.
verb (used with object)
13.
to pass or spend (time) idly or frivolously (usually followed by away ).

Origin:
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English tru(f)fle idle talk, deceit < Old French, variant of truf(f)e mockery, deceit; (v.) Middle English treoflen to mock < Old French trufler to make sport of

tri·fler, noun


1. bauble, toy. 13. fritter.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To trifling
Collins
World English Dictionary
trifle (ˈtraɪfəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a thing of little or no value or significance
2.  a small amount; bit: a trifle more enthusiasm
3.  (Brit) a cold dessert made with sponge cake spread with jam or fruit, soaked in wine or sherry, covered with a custard sauce and cream, and decorated
4.  a type of pewter of medium hardness
5.  articles made from this pewter
 
vb (usually foll by with)
6.  to deal (with) as if worthless; dally: to trifle with a person's affections
7.  to waste (time) frivolously
 
[C13: from Old French trufle mockery, from trufler to cheat]
 
'trifler
 
n

trifling (ˈtraɪflɪŋ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  insignificant or petty
2.  frivolous or idle
 
'triflingly
 
adv
 
'triflingness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

trifle
early 13c., trufle "false or idle tale," later "matter of little importance" (late 13c.), from O.Fr. trufle "mockery," dim. of truffe "deception," of uncertain origin. The verb, in the sense of "treat lightly," is first attested 1520s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
These are not trifling or insignificant considerations.
In that day the totality of government's intelligence resources was trifling.
It need not be permanent, but it must be more than trifling.
Yet the difference in age was trifling, and in education slight.
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