Word of the Day

: September 3, 2025

trivial

adjective TRIV-ee-ul

What It Means

Something described as trivial is of little worth or importance.

// Although her parents initially dismissed her love of pop music as a trivial matter, it became clear as she applied to colleges with strong popular music programs that much of her life was going to be dedicated to it.

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trivial in Context

"No matter how trivial an activity might be, most people seem to feel an innate need to get better at it—whether it's kids learning double Dutch, me just shooting baskets in the driveway or somebody else proud at how much better he's getting at flipping pancakes." — David Brooks, The New York Times, 30 Mar. 2025

Did You Know?

When English speakers adopted the word trivial from the Latin word trivialis in the 16th century, they used it to mean just what its Latin ancestor meant: "found everywhere, commonplace." But the source of trivialis is about something more specific: trivium, from tri- ("three") and via ("way"), means "crossroads; place where three roads meet." The link between the two presumably has to do with the commonplace sorts of things a person is likely to encounter at a busy crossroads. Today, the English word typically describes something barely worth mentioning. Such judgments are, of course, subjective; feel free to mention this bit of trivia to anyone and everyone who crosses your path.