bagatelle

[ bag-uh-tel ]
/ ˌbæg əˈtɛl /

noun

something of little value or importance; a trifle.
a game played on a board having holes at one end into which balls are to be struck with a cue.
a short and light musical composition, typically for the piano.

Origin of bagatelle

1630–40; < French < Upper Italian bagat(t)ella, equivalent to bagatt(a) small possession (perhaps bag(a) berry (< Latin bāca; cf. bay4) + -att(a) diminutive suffix) + -ella < Latin -illa diminutive suffix

Words nearby bagatelle

Example sentences from the Web for bagatelle

British Dictionary definitions for bagatelle

bagatelle
/ (ˌbæɡəˈtɛl) /

noun

something of little value or significance; trifle
a board game in which balls are struck into holes, with pins as obstacles; pinball
another name for bar billiards
a short light piece of music, esp for piano

Word Origin for bagatelle

C17: from French, from Italian bagattella, from (dialect) bagatta a little possession, from baga a possession, probably from Latin bāca berry