Trifle vs Trinket - What's the difference?

Trinket is a synonym of trifle.

As nouns the difference between trifle and trinket

is that trifle is an English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream while trinket is a small showy ornament or piece of jewelry.

As verbs the difference between trifle and trinket

is that trifle is to deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth while trinket is {{term-context|obsolete|lang=en}} To give trinkets; to court favour.

trifle

English

Noun

An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.

An insignificant amount.

* {{quote-book, year=1928, author=Lawrence R. Bourne

, title=Well Tackled! , chapter=17 citation , passage=Commander Birch was a trifle uneasy when he found there was more than a popple on the sea; it was, in fact, distinctly choppy. Strictly speaking, he ought to have been following up the picket–boat, but he was satisfied that the circumstances were sufficiently urgent for him to take risks.}}

Anything that is of little importance or worth.

* Shakespeare

Trifles light as air / Are to the jealous confirmation strong / As proofs of holy writ.

* Drayton

with such poor trifles playing

A particular kind of pewter.

(uncountable) Utensils made from this particular kind of pewter.

Synonyms

See also: . * (insignificant amount) iota, jot, scrap, whit * (thing of little importance or worth) bagatelle, minor detail, whiffle

Derived terms

* a trifle

Verb

(trifl)

To deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.

To act, speak, or otherwise behave with jest.

To inconsequentially toy with something.

To squander or waste.

Anagrams

* * ----

trinket

English

Noun

(en noun)

A small showy ornament or piece of jewelry

That little trinket around her neck must have cost a bundle.

A thing of little value; a trifle; a toy.

It's only a little trinket , but it reminds her of him.

(nautical) A three-cornered sail formerly carried on a ship's foremast, probably on a lateen yard.

* Hakluyt

Sailing always with the sheets of mainsail and trinket warily in our hands.

(obsolete) A knife; a cutting tool.

(Tusser)

Synonyms

* (small ornament) See also: * (item of little value) See also:

Verb

(en verb)

To give trinkets; to court favour.

(South)

Anagrams

* ----