a thing of little value or importance, a cold dessert made of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream

make light of something, trifle away, not to be trifled with

Formal and Informal Expressions of trifle

In different contexts, you can replace 'trifle' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'bagatelle' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'knick-knack, trinket' is a commonplace synonym.

trifle: Explore its Definition & Usage

trifle Definition

1a thing of little value or importance
2a cold dessert made of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream

Using trifle: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "trifle" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The amount of money involved was a mere trifle.
Example
She dismissed his concerns as trifles.
Example
I made a trifle for dessert last night.
Example
The recipe calls for a layer of fruit at the bottom of the trifle.

trifle Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for trifle

Antonyms for trifle

Phrases with trifle

make light of something
to treat something as unimportant or insignificant
Example
He made light of her concerns, dismissing them as trifles.
trifle away
to waste time on unimportant things
Example
She spent the afternoon trifling away on social media instead of working on her project.
not to be trifled with
to be a person or thing that should not be underestimated or treated lightly
Example
The new CEO is not to be trifled with; she has a reputation for being tough and uncompromising.

Origins of trifle

from Old French 'trufle', meaning 'mockery'

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Summary: trifle in Brief

The term 'trifle' [ˈtraɪfəl] can refer to something of little value or importance, such as 'The amount of money involved was a mere trifle.' It can also refer to a cold dessert made of sponge cake and fruit, exemplified by 'I made a trifle for dessert last night.' The phrase 'make light of something' means to treat something as unimportant, while 'not to be trifled with' means to be a person or thing that should not be underestimated.