trivialities

IPA/ˌtrɪv.iˈæl.ə.ti/
IPA/ˌtrɪv.iˈæl.ə.t̬i/

trivialities — noun

  • trivialitiessingular
  • trivialitiesesplural

1. small, unimportant matters or details that are not worth serious attention or ef

1.nounB2
Definition

small, unimportant matters or details that are not worth serious attention or effort

Example

The committee wasted two hours arguing over trivialities like what colour the office curtains should be.

collocation: argue over trivialities

Mei-Lin asked her team to stop worrying about trivialities and focus on the main proposal instead.

Common collocations
  • argue over trivialities
  • waste time on trivialities
  • bother with trivialities
  • ignore trivialities
  • focus on trivialities
  • exchange trivialities
Synonyms
  • minutiae

    more formal, often used for very small technical or administrative details

  • trifles

    slightly more literary; emphasises that the thing is of little value

  • petty details

    more informal; adds a dismissive tone

Antonyms

Usage Note

Usually appears in the plural form 'trivialities' when referring to concrete unimportant matters. The singular 'a triviality' is possible but less common.

Common Mistakes

The meeting discussed trivialities like budget cuts and staff reductions.
The meeting discussed trivialities like the colour of the napkins and which brand of tea to order.
'trivialities' should refer to genuinely unimportant details, not substantial topics like budgets or staffing.

2. the fact of being so minor or insignificant that something does not call for ser

2.nounC1
Definition

the fact of being so minor or insignificant that something does not call for serious consideration or effort

Example

The prison sentence seemed harsh, considering the triviality of the offence he had committed.

collocation: triviality of the offence

Arjun was frustrated by the sheer triviality of the gossip that occupied his colleagues all morning.

Common collocations
  • the triviality of something
  • sheer triviality
  • complete triviality
  • utter triviality
Synonyms
  • insignificance

    more neutral; focuses on the lack of importance rather than lack of seriousness

  • pettiness

    adds a judgement that the matter is small-minded or beneath attention

  • unimportance

    more direct and plain; less formal

Antonyms
  • significance

    the quality of being important or meaningful

  • gravity

    seriousness or importance, especially of a negative situation

Usage Note

Uncountable — do not use 'a triviality' or 'trivialities' when referring to the abstract quality. Use the singular uncountable form 'triviality'. Frequently found in the structure 'the triviality of [something]'.

Common Mistakes

The trivialities of the problem was obvious.
The triviality of the problem was obvious.
The abstract quality is uncountable, so use 'triviality', not 'trivialities'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to unimportant matters, but they differ in register and focus. 'Trivialities' is the most direct and common word for matters not worth serious attention — it carries a practical, slightly dismissive tone. 'Minutiae' (from Latin 'small things') is more formal and often describes tiny technical or administrative details that experts must deal with; a lawyer might review the minutiae of a contract. 'Trifles' has a literary or old-fashioned flavour, often suggesting something of little value or consequence, as in 'squabbling over trifles.' 'Petty details' is informal and adds a note of irritation, implying the details are small-minded or beneath consideration. In conversation, use 'trivialities' for everyday unimportant topics; for formal writing, 'minutiae' suits technical contexts best.

trivialities ↗minutiae ↗trifles ↗petty details

Common collocations

Phrases

  • focus on trivialities
  • waste time on trivialities
  • bother with trivialities
  • the triviality of something

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'trivialis', meaning 'belonging to the crossroads or public street' — hence 'commonplace, ordinary'. The Latin root 'trivium' combined 'tri-' (three) with 'via' (road), literally a place where three roads meet, where people would gather and exchange ordinary, everyday talk. By the 16th century the meaning had shifted from 'commonplace' to 'insignificant, of little worth'.

First known use

1598

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1