trifle - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

A trifle is something that's totally unimportant. If your friend is freaking out over which shoes to buy and you call her dilemma a trifle, you're saying she shouldn't get so worked up over nothing.

Trifle comes from the Middle English trufle, meaning "fraud, joke, trick." You'll usually hear it used to mean "insignificant, trivial." If you write a little ditty to sing at a birthday party, you could say it's just a trifle. As a verb, trifle means "toy with, waste." If you play with someone's feelings without seriously meaning anything, you are trifling with his affection. Trifle is also a sweet, sticky cake. Don't trifle the day away dreaming about trifle. Make some!

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: trifle

1	n v	a detail that is considered insignificant consider not very seriously
2	n	a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: trifle

1

n a detail that is considered insignificant

Synonyms:: technicality, triviality

Type of:: detail, item, point
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole

n something of small importance

Synonyms:: small beer, trivia, triviality

Types:: bagatelle, fluff, frippery, frivolity
something of little value or significance

Type of:: object, physical object
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

v consider not very seriously

“He is trifling with her”

Synonyms:: dally, play

: dally, flirt, play, toy
behave carelessly or indifferently

Type of:: consider, deal, look at, take
take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

v act frivolously

Synonyms:: frivol

Type of:: act, behave, do
behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

v waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently

Synonyms:: piddle, piddle away, wanton, wanton away

Type of:: drop, expend, spend
pay out

2

n a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate

Types:: tipsy cake
a trifle soaked in wine and decorated with almonds and candied fruit

Type of:: pud, pudding
(British) the dessert course of a meal (`pud' is used informally)