trinket
Americannoun
-
a small ornament, piece of jewelry, etc., usually of little value.
-
anything of trivial value.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a small or worthless ornament or piece of jewellery
-
a trivial object; trifle
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of trinket
First recorded in 1525–35; origin uncertain
Explanation
The word trinket refers to an inexpensive, flashy ornament or piece of jewelry. A rhinestone brooch to pin to your jacket is a showy trinket that won't break the bank. Trinkets aren't always made to be worn like jewelry. The word trinket can also refer to novelty items such as silly magnets with sayings on them or keepsake spoons. If you've ever stopped into a store at the airport that sells goods like keychains, mugs, and buttons, then you've seen trinkets. Trinkets are often purchased on a vacation — they're small enough to stick into your pockets before you board the plane home.
Vocabulary lists containing trinket
Lyrical vocabulary: Return to the '70s
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Mardi Gras: Fun
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"Rules of the Game" (from The Joy Luck Club) by Amy Tan
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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.
She uses it to make anything from trinket boxes to ornate geometric vases to statuettes of quizzical creatures.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026
She gave him money for a deposit, bought bridesmaid dresses for her daughters, a veil, "a few little trinket bits".
From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026
Roughly a year ago, the threshold for a second trinket dropped to 25 plates instead of 30, enticing people to up their plate count from the low 20s to 25, according to Uttz, the CFO.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
One analyst hasn’t been taken in, characterizing it as an effort to ride last year’s Labubu-led trinket craze.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
“And you think this trinket is the Eye? I think it’d be dust by now.”
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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.
