Lacking originality or freshness; dull on account of overuse. Trite expressions or ideas have been repeated so often that they've lost their impact and meaning.
From Latin 'tritus,' past participle of 'terere' meaning 'to rub' or 'to wear away.' The image is of something worn smooth by constant handling, like a coin that's been rubbed until its details disappear - overuse has worn away all the interesting features.
Picture an old coin that's been handled so much that you can barely see the design anymore - that's what happens to trite phrases. They've been 'rubbed' by overuse until all their original shine and detail are gone, leaving just a smooth, boring surface.
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