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pronounce
TRITE:
Say it "TRITE."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
In Latin, terere means "to rub, to wear down." Can you think of an insect whose name might derive from terere? A kind that can really wear away the woodwork in your house? I'll share the answer in just a second.
When you think of terere, "to wear down," you can see why our word trite means "boring and overdone, as if worn down, or worn out, from being done so often."
And you can see why d_trit__ means "loose stuff that fell off, as if from being rubbed."
And why tritu___e means "to grind up into tiny pieces, as if by constant rubbing."
All these words belong to that terere family, along with contrite, attrition, and possibly even termite.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Trite" comes from a Latin word meaning "well-worn, worn-out, often-trodden."
We might use that meaning literally in English, talking about trite roads, trite coins, or trite clothing: the kind that are all worn out or rubbed smooth from constant use.
But pretty much all the time, we use this word figuratively. Trite things are old, stale, common, boring, and/or overdone. In other words, if you've seen it a thousand times before, or if it's been done a thousand times before, it's trite.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "these trite lyrics;" "It's hard to write anything in a sympathy card without sounding trite."
Other forms:
The adverb is "tritely," and the noun, "triteness."
how to use it:
With just the one syllable and the two harsh t's, the word "trite" sounds snappy and dismissive. It's the semi-common, sophisticated word you can pick to sound harsh and judgmental as you label something, hinting that it's old, boring, thoughtless, and unoriginal, as if whoever came up with it wasn't even trying.
You might talk about trite ideas and themes, trite sayings and comments, trite stories and anecdotes, trite beliefs and expectations, etc.
examples:
"'Collapse' is quite a bold title for a play that proves so trite."
— Ken Jaworowski, New York Times, 25 April 2013
"His speech sounded familiar, because he'd used almost the same phrases at
Mother's funeral. The audience probably could have recited along with him. I
heard coughs. A lady ahead of me snored gently... Only one viewer was rapt, leaning forward in her seat, nodding at each trite sentiment, smiling while dabbing at wet eyes."
— Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted, 1997
has this page helped you understand "trite"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "trite" without saying "unoriginal" or "hackneyed."
try it out:
Check this out, from Neal Schusterman's novel Challenger Deep:
My father has the irritating habit of saying the same thing whenever something bad happens. "This, too, shall pass," he says. What annoys me is that he's always right about it. What annoys me even more is that he always reminds me later when it does pass, as a smug "I told you so."
He doesn't say it to me anymore because Mom told him it was trite. Maybe it is, but I find that I say it to myself now. No matter how bad I'm feeling, I make myself say it, even if I'm not ready to believe it. This, too, shall pass. It's amazing how little things like that can make a big difference.
With this in mind as an example, talk about something you say or hear often that's trite but still truthful, helpful, or inspiring.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is "Serious Words, Silliest Names."
Match each word to the silly name it evokes. For example, match "pecuniary" to Owen Cash, "hoodwink" to Howie Cheatham, and "debacle" to Oliver Sutton.
To see the answers, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try these today:
EXPENDABLE: _____
FORAY: _____
INCRIMINATE: _____
INTOXICATED: _____
OPPROBRIUM: _____
Anna Fender
Dewey Needham
Doug Love-Fitzhugh
Kent C. Strait
Sally Forth
review this word:
A. NEW, FRESH, and CREATIVE.
B. ODD, ZANY, and HARE-BRAINED.
C. HIP, FORWARD, and PROGRESSIVE.
2.
S. E. Smith argues that expressing hatred toward Valentine's Day is "trite," citing that "_____."
A. variations on 'I hate Valentine's Day' thinkpieces crop up every February
B. the day brings an intense, even oppressive level of social expectations
C. the hatred can spring from a deep-seated disgust toward capitalism and heteronormativity
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
In Latin, terere means "to rub, to wear down." Can you think of an insect whose name might derive from terere? A kind that can really wear away the woodwork in your house? I'll share the answer in just a second.
"Trite" comes from a Latin word meaning "well-worn, worn-out, often-trodden."
Part of speech:
With just the one syllable and the two harsh t's, the word "trite" sounds snappy and dismissive. It's the semi-common, sophisticated word you can pick to sound harsh and judgmental as you label something, hinting that it's old, boring, thoughtless, and unoriginal, as if whoever came up with it wasn't even trying.
"'Collapse' is quite a bold title for a play that proves so trite."
Explain the meaning of "trite" without saying "unoriginal" or "hackneyed."
Check this out, from Neal Schusterman's novel Challenger Deep:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |