paltry
adjective/ˈpɔːltri/
/ˈpɔːltri/
[usually before noun]- (of an amount) too small to be considered as important or useful synonym meagre
- This account offers a paltry 1 per cent return on your investment.
- a paltry sum
- They worked long hours for paltry wages.
- having no value or useful qualities
- a paltry gesture
Word Originmid 16th cent.: apparently based on dialect pelt ‘rubbish, especially rags’; compare with Low German paltrig ‘ragged’.
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paltry