paltry English · revision 1372

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpɒltɹi/, /ˈpɔːltɹi/ ''(UK)''; /ˈpɔltɹi/, /ˈpɑltɹi/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably an adjectival use of obsolete ''paltry'' “trash, worthless thing” (1556),^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) related to dialect ''palt'' or ''pelt'' “trash, coarse cloth”^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and to Middle Low German ''palte'' “rag”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) Some derive it directly from Low German ''paltrig'' “ragged”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of things, worthless, trashy (1570).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was applied to people, “mean, contemptible”, from about 1592.^(OED 1989) Today it most often describes an insultingly small amount, as in ''a paltry sum''.^(RHWU)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1556 – noun, rubbish.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1570 – adjective, worthless.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * about 1592 – of persons, contemptible.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Ridiculously or insultingly small; [[meager]].^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of little importance or worth; [[trivial]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Mean or contemptible.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[paltrily]]

+ * [[paltriness]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''minor'', ''inconsiderable'', ''slight'' and ''insignificant'' as synonyms, refers to ''petty'' for a discussion, and gives ''important'' and ''major'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}