trite

[trahyt]
adjective, trit·er, trit·est.
1.
lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition; hackneyed; stale: the trite phrases in his letter.
2.
characterized by hackneyed expressions, ideas, etc.: The commencement address was trite and endlessly long.
3.
Archaic. rubbed or worn by use.

Origin:
1540–50; < Latin trītus worn, common, equivalent to trī- (variant stem of terere to rub, wear down) + -tus past participle suffix

trite·ly, adverb
trite·ness, noun
un·trite, adjective
un·trite·ly, adverb
un·trite·ness, noun


1. ordinary. See commonplace.


1. original.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Trite is an SAT word you need to know.
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A secret agreement, especially for fraudulent or treacherous purposes.
a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something:
Collins
World English Dictionary
trite (traɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  hackneyed; dull: a trite comment
2.  archaic frayed or worn out
 
[C16: from Latin trītus worn down, from terere to rub]
 
'tritely
 
adv
 
'triteness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

trite
1548, from L. tritus "worn, familiar," from pp. of terere "to rub, wear down" (see throw).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
It is tedious, trite, and its rich source material is wasted.
The plot was trite, more an extended greeting card than a story.
Our trite, repeated lines order the world too, but only by flattening it.
Under the first scratch of the surface the topic of network cables appears to
  be trite.
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