platitude

American  

[plat-i-tood, -tyood] / ˈplæt ɪˌtud, -ˌtjud /

noun

platitudes plural

1. a flat, dull, or trite remark, especially one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.

   Synonyms:

   truism, cliché

2. the quality or state of being flat, dull, or trite.

   the platitude of most political oratory.

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platitude British  

/ ˈplætɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. a trite, dull, or obvious remark or statement; a commonplace

2. staleness or insipidity of thought or language; triteness

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• platitudinous
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• platitudes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of platitude

First recorded in 1805–15; from French: literally, “flatness,” equivalent to plat “flat” ( cf. plate ¹) + -itude -tude ( def. )

Explanation

If an executive gives a speech that begins, "This business is all about survival of the fittest. You need to burn the midnight oil and take one for the team," his employees might get sick of listening to these meaningless clichés and tell him to cut the platitudes. The English language contains many old, worn-out clichés, or platitudes. Phrases like "ants in your pants" and "as American as apple pie" are so overused that they've almost lost their meaning. People rely on these tired old remarks when they can't think of anything original to say. Be warned: if you throw too many platitudes into your conversations, people are eventually going to get tired of listening to you.

Example Sentences

If you've been following Conor's various impressions over the last year or so, you'll immediately recognize these two caricatures: The obliviously arrogant Ian Poulter and Tiger "The Sentient Platitude" Woods.

From Golf Digest • May 15, 2019

Not for nothing is he known to the press corps as David Platitude.

From The Guardian • Mar. 17, 2013

For the old Anarchic Brute-gods it may be well enough; but it is a Platitude which Men should be above countenancing by their presence in it.

From Past and Present Thomas Carlyle's Collected Works, Vol. XIII. by Carlyle, Thomas

No biographer, so far as I know, has identified Platitude, but Mr. Donne evidently knew him, for he calls Borrow’s account a “gross and unfair caricature.”

From Souvenir of the George Borrow Celebration Norwich, July 5th, 1913 by Hooper, James

This being has some powers of conversation and some learning, but he carries the countenance of an arch villain; Platitude is evidently his tool.” p.

From Lavengro the Scholar - the Gypsy - the Priest by Watts, Theodore

Related Words

• banality
• bromide