paltry

[ pawl-tree ]
/ ˈpɔl tri /

adjective, pal·tri·er, pal·tri·est.

ridiculously or insultingly small: a paltry sum.
utterly worthless.
mean or contemptible: a paltry coward.

Origin of paltry

1560–70; < Low German paltrig ragged, equivalent to *palter rag (dialectal German Palter) + -ig -y1

OTHER WORDS FROM paltry

pal·tri·ly, adverb pal·tri·ness, noun un·pal·try, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH paltry

paltry poultry

Example sentences from the Web for paltry

British Dictionary definitions for paltry

paltry
/ (ˈpɔːltrɪ) /

adjective -trier or -triest

insignificant; meagre
worthless or petty

Derived forms of paltry

paltrily, adverb paltriness, noun

Word Origin for paltry

C16: from Low Germanic palter, paltrig ragged