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Webster 1913 Edition

paltry

pal′try

(pa̤l′try̆)
,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Paltrier
(pa̤l′trĭ-ẽr)
;
sup
erl.
Paltriest
.]
[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.
Cowper.
The
paltry
prize is hardly worth the cost.
Byron.
Syn. – See
Contemptible
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Paltry

PAL'TRY

,
Adj.
[Gr. vile, and to fail.] Ragged; mean; vile; worthless; despicable; as a paltry boy; a paltry slave; a paltry trifle.

Definition 2024

paltry

paltry

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

paltry ‎(comparative paltrier, superlative paltriest)

  1. trashy, trivial, of little value
    This is indeed a paltry flyer about a silly product.
    She made some paltry excuse and left.
  2. meager; worthless; pitiful; trifling
    Could someone hope to survive on such a paltry income?
    Student grants these days are paltry, and many students have to take out loans.

Usage notes

  • Nouns to which "paltry" is often applied: sum, rate, amount, number, price, salary, wages, fellow, pay, excuse, income, gain, compensation.

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle Low German paltrig ‎(“ragged, rubbishy, worthless”), from palter, palte ‎(“cloth, rag, shred”), from Old Saxon *paltro, *palto ‎(“cloth, rag”), from Proto-Germanic *paltrô, *paltô ‎(“scrap, rag, patch”). Cognate with Low German palterig ‎(“ragged, torn”), German dialectal palterig ‎(“paltry”). Compare also Low German palte ‎(“rag”), West Frisian palt ‎(“rag”), Saterland Frisian Palte ‎(“strip; band; tape”), German dialectal Palter ‎(“rag”), Danish pjalt ‎(“rag, tatter”), Swedish palta ‎(“rag”). See also palterly.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpɔːltɹi/

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