paltry
AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Adjective (2)paltrier, paltriest
- not worth considering“he considered the prize too paltry for the lives it must cost”“piffling efforts”“a trifling matter”Synonyms: negligibletriflingOpposite valuableSimilar worthless
- contemptibly small in amount“a measly tip”“the company donated a miserable $100 for flood relief”“a paltry wage”“almost depleted his miserable store of dried beans”Synonyms: measlymiserableOpposite ampleSimilar meager, meagre
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onerousadjective
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)
pal′try (pa̤l′try̆), adjective [Compar. Paltrier (pa̤l′wb-a1′>′trĭ·ẽr); superlative Paltriest.]
Origin: Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. palterig ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.
Mean; vile; worthless; despicable; contemptible; pitiful; trifling; as, a paltry excuse; paltry gold. William Cowper
The paltry prize is hardly worth the cost.— George Noel Gordon, Ld. Byron
Synonyms: See Contemptible.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54