different between menial vs paltry

English

Etymology

From Middle English meinial, from Anglo-Norman mesnal, from maisnee (“household”), from Vulgar Latin mansionata, from Latin mansi?nem, accusative singular of mansi? (“house”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: m?'n??l, IPA^(key): /?mi?ni.?l/

Adjective

menial (comparative more menial, superlative most menial)

1. Of or relating to work normally performed by a servant.
2. Of or relating to unskilled work.
3. Servile; low; mean.

   a menial wretch

Translations

Noun

menial (plural menials)

1. A servant, especially a domestic servant.
2. A person who has a subservient nature.

Related terms

• mansion
• maison, maisonette
• menage

Translations

Anagrams

• Elamin, Melian

English

Alternative forms

• (obsolete) paultry, paultrie, palterey

Etymology

From Middle Low German paltrig (“ragged, rubbishy, worthless”), from palter, palte (“cloth, rag, shred”), from Old Saxon *paltro, *palto (“cloth, rag”), from Proto-Germanic *paltrô, *paltô (“scrap, rag, patch”). Cognate with Low German palterig (“ragged, torn”), dialectal German palterig (“paltry”). Compare also Low German palte (“rag”), West Frisian palt (“rag”), Saterland Frisian Palte (“strip; band; tape”), dialectal German Palter (“rag”), Danish pjalt (“rag, tatter”), Swedish palta (“rag”). See also palterly.

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?p?lt?i/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p?lt?i/, /?p??lt?i/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p?lt?i/, /?p?lt?i/

Adjective

paltry (comparative paltrier, superlative paltriest)

1. Trashy, trivial, of little value.

   Synonyms: insignificant, unimportant, petty, trivial
2. Of little monetary worth.

   Synonyms: meager, worthless, pitiful, trifling
3. Despicable

   A paltry coward.

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "paltry" is often applied: sum, rate, amount, number, price, salary, wages, fellow, pay, excuse, income, gain, compensation.

Derived terms

• paltriness

Translations

Anagrams

• partly, raptly