trinket English · revision 1245

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtɹɪŋkɪt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is of unknown or uncertain origin.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Etymonline suggests it is a diminutive, perhaps of a nasalized variant of [[trick]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A small ornament, usually a piece of jewellery (before 1533),^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) and small tools or articles of an outfit (before 1536).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was also applied disparagingly to ornaments and rites of worship thought vain (1538).^(OED 1989) It has otherwise kept its sense of a small, usually cheap ornament or trifle.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary) An obsolete verb ''trinket'' meant to have secret or underhand dealings (1647).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1527 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * before 1533 – a small ornament.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1538 – of religious ornaments thought vain.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1647 – verb, to intrigue.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small ornament, such as a cheap piece of jewellery; a [[bauble]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A thing of little value; a [[trifle]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[trinketry]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bauble]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}