picayune

¹

[ pik-ee-yoon, pik-uh- ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. of little value or account; small; trifling:

   a picayune amount.

   Synonyms: trivial, paltry, nugatory, insignificant, inconsequential, measly

2. petty, carping, or prejudiced:

   I didn't want to seem picayune by criticizing.

   Synonyms: illiberal, small-minded, petty, narrow-minded, narrow

noun

1. (formerly, in Louisiana, Florida, etc.) a coin equal to half a Spanish real.
2. any small coin, as a five-cent piece.
3. Informal. an insignificant person or thing.

Picayune

²

[ pik-uh-yoon, pik-ee- ]

noun

1. a town in SE Mississippi.

picayune

/ ˌpɪkəˈjuːn /

adjective

1. of small value or importance
2. mean; petty

noun

1. the half real, an old Spanish-American coin
2. any coin of little value, esp a five-cent piece

Derived Forms

• ˌpicaˈyunishness, noun
• ˌpicaˈyunishly, adverb

Other Words From

• pica·yunish·ly adverb
• pica·yunish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of picayune¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from Provençal picaioun “small copper coin” (compare French picaillons ), derivative of an unattested onomatopoetic base pikk- “beat,” here referring to the coining of coppers

Word History and Origins

Origin of picayune¹

C19: from French picaillon coin from Piedmont, from Provençal picaioun, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

He elaborated on the wellsprings of the tradition in an interview with me in 1989 for a Times-Picayune article.

From The Daily Beast

In addition to the Star-Ledger, Advance Publications owns, among other things, The Times-Picayune in New Orleans.

From The Daily Beast

The administration enthusiastically traded winning the future for a picayune present gain.

From The Daily Beast

To see just how picayune the debate got, take a look at the opinions.

From The Daily Beast

Then came the unspeakable moment just a few months ago when I came across an obscure item in The Times-Picayune.

From The Daily Beast

"Picayune Butler's coming, coming" has upset my nervous system.

From Project Gutenberg

See here, old woman, if youve got some little picayune payment to make, make it and clear out.

From Project Gutenberg

They smile a grim smile in their grizzled beards at the fuss which has been made over this "picayune war," as they call it.

From Project Gutenberg

Now this Lane proposition is a little bit of a thing; it's picayune; I should live right along if I didn't get it.

From Project Gutenberg

I should not be surprised to see him supersede Picayune Butler.

From Project Gutenberg