noun
trifle
TREYE-fuhl
noun
1
A British dessert layered with sponge cake, custard, fruit, jelly, and whipped cream.
"Grandma always makes a sherry trifle at Christmas."
2
Something of little importance or value.
"Don't get upset over such a trifle."
verb
1
To treat something, or someone, without proper seriousness.
"Don't trifle with her feelings."
How to Use Trifle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the layered dessert, or a small, unimportant thing — as a verb, to treat something carelessly or toy with it.
Common pairings
trifle with
a mere trifle
Word Forms
trifled past tense, trifles plural, trifles singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “trifle”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Grandma always makes a sherry _____ at Christmas.
Etymology
From Old French trufle, related to truffe ("deception"); the origin beyond that is uncertain.