triviality
C1Formal, but used in academic and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The quality or state of being trivial; something that is unimportant or insignificant.
Refers to minor details or issues that are not worth attention, often used pejoratively to dismiss something as inconsequential.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a lack of seriousness or depth; can be used to criticize focus on unimportant matters.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal; both varieties use the word similarly in meaning and context.
Connotations
In British English, it may carry a slightly more academic tone, while in American English, it is common in both formal and informal discourse.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to broader usage in media and conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
dismiss as a trivialityconsider a trivialitybe bogged down by trivialitiesVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “make a mountain out of a molehill”
- “sweat the small stuff”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In business reports, managers often highlight key strategies while dismissing operational hiccups as trivialities.
Academic
In philosophical debates, scholars may critique arguments for focusing on trivialities rather than core principles.
Everyday
During family discussions, parents might urge children not to argue over trivialities like who gets the remote.
Technical
In software development, engineers distinguish between critical bugs and trivialities that can be deferred.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He often trivialises complex social issues in his speeches.
American English
- She trivialized the environmental concerns by calling them exaggerated.
adverb
British English
- He responded trivially to the serious allegations, which upset the committee.
American English
- She waved off the criticism trivially, focusing instead on her goals.
adjective
British English
- The discrepancy was deemed trivial and not worth further investigation.
American English
- It's a trivial error that won't impact the overall results.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher said forgetting a pencil was a triviality.
- Don't let trivialities like small delays ruin your day.
- In historical analysis, some events are reduced to mere trivialities.
- The panel discussion descended into trivialities, failing to address the ethical implications.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'trivial' meaning unimportant, and add '-ity' to form a noun: triviality is the state of being trivial.
Conceptual Metaphor
Triviality is often metaphorically seen as 'noise' that distracts from the 'signal' of important matters.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation to 'тривиальность' can sound overly formal or awkward in casual Russian.
- Avoid using 'мелочь' as it is too informal and may not convey the pejorative nuance.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'triviality' to mean 'simplicity' rather than 'unimportance'.
- Confusing it with 'trivial' as an adjective without recognizing the noun form.
Practice
Quiz
What is the closest meaning of 'triviality'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is moderately common, more frequent in formal or academic contexts, but understood in everyday speech.
'Trivial' is an adjective meaning unimportant, while 'triviality' is a noun referring to the state or an instance of being trivial.
Typically no; it usually carries a negative or dismissive connotation, implying something is not worth attention.
No, the spelling is the same, but related words like 'trivialise' (British) and 'trivialize' (American) show variation.