Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “trifle” come from?

Trifle comes from Middle English trifle, from Old French trufle, from Old French trufe, of uncertain ultimate origin.

trifle (English): An English dessert made from a mixture of thick...

Definitions

  1. An English dessert made from a mixture of thick...

Ancestry of “trifle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishtrifle—
2Old Frenchtruflemockery
3Occitantrufa—
4Vulgar Latintufera—
5Latintūber—
6Proto-Italictūβos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong

Words derived from “trifle”

  • trifling
  • trifler
  • triflingly
  • triflest
  • triflingness
  • trifleth
  • traidhfil
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- →