trinket

noun

trin·​ket ˈtriŋ-kət 

1

: a small ornament (such as a jewel or ring)

2

: a small article of equipment

3

: a thing of little value : trifle

Synonyms

• ornamental
• ornament
• souvenir
• bauble

Examples of trinket in a Sentence

the top of his desk was littered with trinkets that were collected as souvenirs from various vacations

Recent Examples on the Web

Joya wasn’t with us that day; my mother had handed me enough heavy coins to purchase it from a trinket stand in Trafalgar Square, where long white poles around Nelson’s Column were festooned with regal banners and topped with crowns. —Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

This minimalist design from Wayfair has drawers for storage and can hold up to 200 pounds of weight for all the desk-side trinkets imaginable. —Jacqueline Tempera, People.com, 18 June 2025

The video showed Kelly burning trinkets related to her WWE career. —Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025

Always tip in cash (no gift cards or homemade trinkets), and leave your tip somewhere where it can be easily found. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1527, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

trinket

noun

trin·​ket ˈtriŋ-kət 

1

: a small ornament (as a jewel or ring)

2

: a thing of little value