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
Related Words
See petty.
Other Word Forms
- supertrivial adjective
- trivially adverb
- trivialness noun
- untrivial adjective
- untrivially adverb
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; tri-, -al 1
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.
"Seabird guano may seem trivial, yet our study suggests this potent resource could have significantly contributed to sociopolitical and economic change in the Peruvian Andes," Dr. Bongers said.
From Science Daily
We laugh, we talk about silly, trivial things that don’t matter.
From Literature
Yes, it’s upsetting to know that your boss is talking to others about something as trivial as your clothing.
From MarketWatch
“For decades, Congress has tolerated a system in which nearly half of full-time workers and most part-time and gig workers lack access to a workplace retirement plan. Addressing that coverage gap is not trivial.”
From MarketWatch
“For decades, Congress has tolerated a system in which nearly half of full-time workers and most part-time and gig workers lack access to a workplace retirement plan. Addressing that coverage gap is not trivial.”
From MarketWatch
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.
