Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “paltry” come from?

Paltry comes from Middle Low German paltrig, derived from Middle Low German palter, which developed from Old Saxon paltro, ultimately from Proto-Germanic paltrô.

paltry (English): Trashy, trivial, of little value; Of little...

Definitions

  1. Trashy, trivial, of little value; Of little...

Ancestry of “paltry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanpaltrigragged, rubbishy, worthless
2Old Saxonpaltro—
3Proto-Germanicpaltrô—

Words derived from “paltry”

  • paltriness
  • paltrily
Every word from Proto-Germanic paltrô →