What does paltry mean?

Definitions for paltry
ˈpɔl tripal·t·ry

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word paltry.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. negligible, paltry, triflingadjective

    not worth considering

    "he considered the prize too paltry for the lives it must cost"; "piffling efforts"; "a trifling matter"

  2. measly, miserable, paltryadjective

    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"

Wiktionary

  1. paltryadjective

    trashy, trivial, of little value

  2. paltryadjective

    meager; worthless; pitiful; trifling

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. PALTRYadjective

    Sorry; worthless; despicable; contemptible; mean.

    Etymology: poltron, French; a scoundrel; paltrocca, a low whore, Italian.

    Then turn your forces from this paltry siege,
    And stir them up against a mightier task. William Shakespeare.

    A very dishonest paltry boy, as appears in leaving his friend here in necessity, and denying him. William Shakespeare.

    Whose compost is paltry and carried too late,
    Such husbandry useth that many do hate. Thomas Tusser, Husb.

    For knights are bound to feel no blows,
    From paltry and unequal foes. Hudibras, p. iii.

    It is an ill habit to squander away our wishes upon paltry fooleries. Roger L'Estrange, Fab. 140.

    When such paltry slaves presume
    To mix in treason, if the plot succeeds,
    They’re thrown neglected by; but if it fails,
    They’re sure to die like dogs. Joseph Addison, Cato.

ChatGPT

  1. paltry

    Paltry generally refers to something that is small, meager or insignificant in amount, size or worth. It can be used to describe anything considered to be inferior, trivial or of poor quality.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Paltry

    mean; vile; worthless; despicable; contemptible; pitiful; trifling; as, a paltry excuse; paltry gold

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Paltry

    pawl′tri, adj. mean: vile: worthless.—adv. Pal′trily.—n. Pal′triness. [Teut.; Dan. pialter, rags, Low Ger. paltrig, ragged.]

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Anagrams for paltry »

  1. partly

  2. raptly

How to pronounce paltry?

How to say paltry in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of paltry in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of paltry in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of paltry in a Sentence

  1. André Breton:

    To speak of God, to think of God, is in every respect to show what one is made of. I have always wagered against God and I regard the little that I have won in this world as simply the outcome of this bet. However paltry may have been the stake (my life) I am conscious of having won to the full. Everything that is doddering, squint-eyed, vile, polluted and grotesque is summoned up for me in that one word: God!

  2. Demosthenes:

    You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry for whatever a man's actions are, such must be his spirit.

  3. Mike Pompeo:

    I look forward to seeing them fulfill that $2-billion commitment, china's contributions to fighting the pandemic are paltry, compared to the cost that they have imposed on the world.

  4. Troy Gayeski:

    If you're a longer-term investor, you still have to like your equities exposure more than fixed-income exposure, where you basically have no upside at this point and your earnings are your paltry yield.

  5. William Butler Yeats:

    An aged man is but a paltry thing, a tattered coat upon a stick.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

paltry#10000#57224#100000

Translations for paltry

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • ισχνόςGreek
  • چرت و پرتPersian
  • mitätön, surkeaFinnish
  • dérisoire, misérableFrench
  • irrisorio, modesto, insufficiente, insignificante, miserabile, ridicoloItalian
  • わずかなJapanese
  • waardeloos, triviaal, pietluttig, beklagenswaardig, meelijwekkend, armzaligDutch
  • pobre, insignificantePortuguese
  • незначительный, жалкий, пустяковыйRussian
  • futtig, ynkligSwedish
  • değersizTurkish

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"paltry." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 Oct. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/paltry>.

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    an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
    A accident
    B temptation
    C assortment
    D staff

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