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



RESET




Word of the Day

16 January 2025

BOOK

(noun) a collection of rules or prescribed standards on the basis of which decisions are made; “they run things by the book around here”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

The first coffee-house in Mecca dates back to the 1510s. The beverage was in Turkey by the 1530s. It appeared in Europe circa 1515-1519 and was introduced to England by 1650. By 1675 the country had more than 3,000 coffee houses, and coffee had replaced beer as a breakfast drink.

coffee icon