PALTRY

measly, miserable, paltry

(adjective) contemptibly small in amount; “a measly tip”; “the company donated a miserable $100 for flood relief”; “a paltry wage”; “almost depleted his miserable store of dried beans”

negligible, paltry, trifling

(adjective) not worth considering; “he considered the prize too paltry for the lives it must cost”; “piffling efforts”; “a trifling matter”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

paltry (comparative paltrier, superlative paltriest)

Trashy, trivial, of little value.

Synonyms: insignificant, unimportant, petty, trivial

Of little monetary worth.

Synonyms: meager, worthless, pitiful, trifling

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "paltry" is often applied: sum, rate, amount, number, price, salary, wages, fellow, pay, excuse, income, gain, compensation.

Anagrams

• partly, raptly

Source: Wiktionary


Pal"try, a. [Compar. Paltrier (; superl. Paltriest.] Etym: [Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. paltering ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.]

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

23 May 2025

THOUGHTFULLY

(adverb) showing consideration and thoughtfulness; “he had thoughtfully brought with him some food to share”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the most massive cup of coffee contained 22,739.14 liters and was created by Alcaldía Municipal de Chinchiná (Colombia) at Parque de Bolívar, Chinchiná, Caldas, Colombia, on 15 June 2019. Fifty people worked for more than a month to build this giant cup. The drink prepared was Arabic coffee.

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