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Piffling: meaning, definitions and examples

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piffling

 

[ ˈpɪflɪŋ ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

insignificant amount

Piffling refers to something that is trivial, insignificant, or of little value. It is often used to describe matters that are unimportant or not worthy of serious attention. The term conveys a sense of disdain for things that are considered minor or petty. When something is labeled as piffling, it implies that there are more significant issues at hand that deserve focus.

Synonyms

insignificant, minor, petty, trivial, unimportant.

Examples of usage

  • The meeting was filled with piffling discussions that wasted our time.
  • He dismissed her piffling concerns as unworthy of his attention.
  • The funds allocated for the project were piffling compared to its actual cost.

Translations

Translations of the word "piffling" in other languages:

🇵🇹 insignificante

🇮🇳 तुच्छ

🇩🇪 geringfügig

🇮🇩 remeh

🇺🇦 незначний

🇵🇱 nieznaczący

🇯🇵 取るに足らない

🇫🇷 insignifiant

🇪🇸 insignificante

🇹🇷 önemsiz

🇰🇷 하찮은

🇸🇦 تافه

🇨🇿 bezvýznamný

🇸🇰 bezvýznamný

🇨🇳 微不足道的

🇸🇮 nepomemben

🇮🇸 ómerkilegur

🇰🇿 маңызсыз

🇬🇪 მნიშვნელობის არქონა

🇦🇿 əhəmiyyətsiz

🇲🇽 insignificante

Etymology

The word 'piffling' first appeared in English in the late 19th century, derived from the verb 'piffl', which means 'to waste time' or 'to act foolishly'. This verb itself possibly originated from the Middle English term 'pifflen', which means 'to trifle' or 'to toy with'. The transition into an adjective, 'piffling', reflects the tendency of English to form descriptive adjectives from verbs in a colloquial context. Over the years, 'piffling' has maintained its connotation of triviality, often used in informal discussions to highlight the lack of seriousness of a topic or issue. This word captures a cultural sentiment wherein matters deemed as 'piffling' are often overlooked in favor of more substantial concerns.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,763, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.