picayune

1 of 2

noun

pic·a·yune ˌpi-kē-ˈyün How to pronounce picayune (audio)

: a Spanish half real piece formerly current in the South

: half dime

: something trivial

picayune

2 of 2

adjective

: of little value : paltry

also : petty, small-minded

picayunish

ˌpi-kē-ˈyü-nish How to pronounce picayune (audio)

adjective

Did you know?

In the 19th century, in Louisiana and other southern states, a picayune was a small coin (specifically, a Spanish half real) with a low monetary value. The coin's name derives from picaioun, a word that means "small coin" in Occitan (a language spoken in Southern France). It ultimately derives from the Occitan word pica, which means "to jingle" and which was created to mimic the sound of coins jingling. The real as a monetary unit fell out of use, however, and picayune joined two bits in the category of small amounts of money whose name eventually came to be used instead for things that are paltry and small.

Example Sentences

Noun our lives don't amount to a picayune in the great scheme of things Adjective They argued over the most picayune details. the picayune ponderings of a commentator who steadfastly believes other cultures are inferior to our own

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But only a fool would harp on picayune flaws when this rich material is being served with such musical polish and sensitivity.

Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Challenging ballot designations has become something of a sport in California politics — squabbles over the occasionally picayune rules return each cycle like the swallows to Capistrano.

Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2022 What would normally be regarded as an investigation that has reached the level of pursuing such picayune matters that it should be concluded, may to him or her be an investigation that ought to go on for another year.

Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 13 Mar. 2022 There are at least two explanations: One is that the violations are so picayune as to expose a petty scheme to dump the executive.

Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2022 This was the Britain—still very imperial yet so very picayune—to which Mr. Sen, who would go on to win the Nobel Prize in economics, had come to study.

Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 21 Jan. 2022 Vance’s investigation, which appears to be focussed largely on business practices that Trump engaged in before taking office, may seem picayune in comparison with the outrageous offenses to democratic norms that Trump committed as President.

Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2021 But after months of family quarantine, combined with the confusion and exasperation of school-Zoom days, more of our wind-down reading sessions have involved the sureness of facts — picayune details about dogs and skyscrapers and coral reefs.

Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2020 If the last few months should have taught us anything, it’s the realization that who stands at proper attention for a flag and who chooses not to is a rather picayune thing to worry about given our current circumstances as a country.

Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2020 See More

单词	picayunish
释义	picayune 1 of 2 noun pic·a·yune ˌpi-kē-ˈyün 1 a : a Spanish half real piece formerly current in the South b : half dime 2 : something trivial picayune 2 of 2 adjective : of little value : paltry also : petty, small-minded picayunish ˌpi-kē-ˈyü-nish adjective Did you know? In the 19th century, in Louisiana and other southern states, a picayune was a small coin (specifically, a Spanish half real) with a low monetary value. The coin's name derives from picaioun, a word that means "small coin" in Occitan (a language spoken in Southern France). It ultimately derives from the Occitan word pica, which means "to jingle" and which was created to mimic the sound of coins jingling. The real as a monetary unit fell out of use, however, and picayune joined two bits in the category of small amounts of money whose name eventually came to be used instead for things that are paltry and small. Synonyms Noun bagatelle child's play frippery nonproblem nothing shuck(s) small beer small change trifle triviality Adjective illiberal insular Lilliputian little narrow narrow-minded parochial petty provincial sectarian small small-minded See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun our lives don't amount to a picayune in the great scheme of things Adjective They argued over the most picayune details. the picayune ponderings of a commentator who steadfastly believes other cultures are inferior to our own Recent Examples on the Web Adjective But only a fool would harp on picayune flaws when this rich material is being served with such musical polish and sensitivity. Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Challenging ballot designations has become something of a sport in California politics — squabbles over the occasionally picayune rules return each cycle like the swallows to Capistrano. Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2022 What would normally be regarded as an investigation that has reached the level of pursuing such picayune matters that it should be concluded, may to him or her be an investigation that ought to go on for another year. Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 13 Mar. 2022 There are at least two explanations: One is that the violations are so picayune as to expose a petty scheme to dump the executive. Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2022 This was the Britain—still very imperial yet so very picayune—to which Mr. Sen, who would go on to win the Nobel Prize in economics, had come to study. Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 21 Jan. 2022 Vance’s investigation, which appears to be focussed largely on business practices that Trump engaged in before taking office, may seem picayune in comparison with the outrageous offenses to democratic norms that Trump committed as President. Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2021 But after months of family quarantine, combined with the confusion and exasperation of school-Zoom days, more of our wind-down reading sessions have involved the sureness of facts — picayune details about dogs and skyscrapers and coral reefs. Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2020 If the last few months should have taught us anything, it’s the realization that who stands at proper attention for a flag and who chooses not to is a rather picayune thing to worry about given our current circumstances as a country. Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2020 See More Word History Etymology Noun Occitan picaioun, a small coin, from picaio money, from pica to jingle, of imitative origin First Known Use Noun 1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Adjective 1836, in the meaning defined above picayunish adjective as in picayune Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance picayune piddling petty unimportant puny trivial negligible nominal measly trifling marginal inconsequential insignificant insubstantial tiny inconsiderable miniature meager paltry minute small smallish meagre undersized pint-sized pocket pint-size bitty pygmy little undersize slight pocket-sized diminutive pocket-size Antonyms & Near Antonyms substantial healthy handsome considerable tidy respectable good major substantive significant sizeable sizable oversize oversized bulky big goodly voluminous largish hulking jumbo colossal monstrous mammoth biggish outsize hefty great outsized titanic elephantine massive astronomical immense enormous bumper gigantic monumental prodigious huge tremendous whopping herculean astronomic king-size king-sized See More
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picayune

noun

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective