trivial
Americanadjective
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of very little importance or value; insignificant.
Don't bother me with trivial matters.
- Synonyms:
- trifling, frivolous, inconsequential, immaterial, slight, nugatory, unimportant
- Antonyms:
- important
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commonplace; ordinary.
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Biology. (of names of organisms) specific, as distinguished from generic.
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Mathematics.
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noting a solution of an equation in which the value of every variable of the equation is equal to zero.
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(of a theorem, proof, or the like) simple, transparent, or immediately evident.
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Chemistry. (of names of chemical compounds) derived from the natural source, or of historic origin, and not according to the systematic nomenclature.
Picric acid is the trivial name of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol.
adjective
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of little importance; petty or frivolous
trivial complaints
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ordinary or commonplace; trite
trivial conversation
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maths (of the solutions of a set of homogeneous equations) having zero values for all the variables
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biology denoting the specific name of an organism in binomial nomenclature
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biology chem denoting the popular name of an organism or substance, as opposed to the scientific one
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of or relating to the trivium
Synonym Usage
See petty.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of trivial
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin triviālis “belonging to the crossroads or street corner,” hence “commonplace,” equivalent to tri- “three” + vi(a) “road” + -ālis adjective suffix; see tri-, -al 1
Explanation
Something that is trivial is not important or significant, such as the trivial details you shared with me about your trip to the post office this morning. Trivial can also describe something that isn't deep or meaningful, like a trivial movie that you'll forget about after the credits roll. It comes from the Latin word trivium: tri means "three" and via is "road." So a trivium is a "place where three roads meet," meaning a crossroads — just something ordinary. So something that is trivial is not worth remembering; it just isn't important.
Vocabulary lists containing trivial
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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ACT Vocabulary List
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"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But thanks to geography teachers as well as the board game Trivial Pursuit, people on all corners of the globe know what to ask when someone says he’s from Kansas City.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025
Trivial these things may seem, it's a commitment and care for the country, and role, that hasn't always been there.
From BBC • May 31, 2025
Saylor personally lost $6 billion in a few hours, becoming the answer to a Trivial Pursuit question: Who has lost the most money in a single day?
From Washington Post • Nov. 14, 2022
Which I think is worth noting, only because it might come in handy the next time you play Trivial Pursuit.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 11, 2022
“It’s sort of like Trivial Pursuit,” said Sierra.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
