Where does “trifling” come from?
Trifling comes from Middle English triflen, from Old French trufle and trufe, whose ultimate origin and original meaning remain uncertain.
trifling (English): Trivial, or of little importance; Idle or...
Definitions
- Trivial, or of little importance; Idle or...
Ancestry of “trifling”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | trifle | An English dessert made from a mixture of thick... |
| 2 | Middle English | trifle | — |
| 3 | Old French | trufle | mockery |
| 4 | Occitan | trufa | — |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | tufera | — |
| 6 | Latin | tūber | a hump, bump, swelling, protuberance; excrescence |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | tūβos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | tewh₂- | to swell; to crowd; to be strong |