trinket
Americannoun
-
trinkets
plural
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
The trinket must be tacky, useless and tasteless, said Green.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 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
From an £800 trinket box to a rusty ice cream fridge receiving zero bids, Bargain Hunt has seen thousands of items go under the hammer.
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2025
I turned out cheerful if not masterful pieces with reckless proliferation: The lumpy pink vase, the thick-bottomed trinket bowl, the loopy cup with uneven seafoam glaze.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2024
And, even more weirdly, the trinket pulsed with green light, too.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
In his early 20s, Anderson was enjoying life in Goa, India, selling trinkets to tourists on the beach.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
She remembers when the blocks up to Tin Hau Temple brimmed with food carts, trinkets, and the occasional fortune-teller.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Her answer was definite: We should sort out and sell or give away almost all of our trinkets, T-shirts, books and baubles before we die—rather than leaving a dreary chore for friends or families.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
The novel emerged as he began writing about the objects he had saved, everything from family keepsakes to trinkets picked up at the bazaars, which gradually brought his characters to life.
From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026
But because I knew this man would someday be my husband, I put these worthless trinkets carefully into a box, wrapping each with tissue.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
