Trivial

/ˈtrɪviəl/ adjective

Definition

Not important or serious; easy and not worth much attention.

Etymology

From Latin *trivialis* “common, ordinary,” from *trivium* “a place where three roads meet.” Such crossroads were where everyday gossip and chatter happened, leading to the idea of something common and unimportant.

Kelly Says

The word comes from three‑way crossroads where people stood around chatting, so “trivial” originally meant “stuff you’d hear at the street corner.” Ironically, today’s “trivia nights” turn those little unimportant facts into something people compete over.

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