What does paltriness mean?
Paltriness is a formal noun meaning the state of being paltry, especially petty, trivial, or too insignificant to deserve serious attention. It is often used to characterize an excuse, argument, reward, or human failing whose smallness or meanness is being emphasized. The word can suggest either that something is simply unimportant or that someone is treating something too lightly. In a literary or critical context, "the paltriness of the excuse" conveys contempt for an inadequate explanation, while "the paltriness of the prize" may suggest that a reward is not worth the effort or attention it receives. Although uncommon in everyday speech, paltriness gives writers a precise way to name the quality of pettiness and insignificance.
nounThe state or quality of being paltry: petty, insignificant, or unworthy of serious consideration.
- The state or quality of being petty, trivial, or insignificant.
- The quality of meanness or pettiness in conduct or character.
"Her response revealed the paltriness of the excuse she had made."
"The paltriness of the dispute made it impossible for the committee to take the matter seriously."
"The novel explores the paltriness of the excuses people use to avoid responsibility."
Plural forms are possible, although the word is rare enough that they are seldom encountered.
"The author treats the petty paltrinesses of bureaucratic life with sharp irony."
Paltriness names the quality of making something seem too small or unimportant to matter.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does paltriness come from?
Paltriness was formed in English by adding the suffix -ness to the adjective paltry. Paltry developed in the late 16th century as a diminutive associated with palter, an earlier English word meaning to talk indistinctly or make a pretext. The modern sense of paltry, meaning petty or trivial, established the basis for the modern noun paltriness.
Related word forms
How paltriness is actually used
A relatively rare, literary word. It is more common in formal writing and in phrases such as "the paltriness of" an excuse, argument, or prize, where it emphasizes pettiness or insignificance.