paltry
UK /ˈpɒltɹi/ · US /ˈpɔltɹi/ adjective
Forms paltrier paltriest paultry paultrie palterey
- adjective Trashy, trivial, of little value. “This is indeed a paltry flyer about a silly product.”
- adjective Of little monetary worth. “Could someone hope to survive on such a paltry income?”
- adjective Despicable; contemptibly unimportant. “a paltry coward”
Synonyms
insignificant unimportant petty trivial beggarly meager worthless pitiful trifling negligible measly miserable
Etymology
From Middle Low German paltrig (“ragged, rubbishy, worthless”), from palter, palte (“cloth, rag, shred”), from Old Saxon *paltro, *palto (“cloth, rag”), from Proto-Germanic *paltrô, *paltô (“scrap, rag, patch”). Of uncertain ultimate origin, but perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *polto- (“cloth”), see also Proto-Slavic *poltьno (“linen”).
Cognate with Low German palterig (“ragged, torn”), dialectal German palterig (“paltry”). Compare also Low German palte (“rag”), West Frisian palt (“rag”), Saterland Frisian Palte (“strip; band; tape”), dialectal German Palter (“rag”), Danish pjalt (“rag, tatter”), Swedish palta (“rag”). See also palterly and pelting.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Mean; vile; worthless; despicable; contemptible; pitiful; trifling; as, a paltry excuse; paltry gold. Cowper.
Etymology [Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. paltering ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “paltry”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details