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# The Good Oil Word of the Day
- URL: https://goodoil.news/the-good-oil-word-of-the-day-515/
- Published: 2026-01-08T17:15:02.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-08T17:15:01.000Z
- Author: David Theobald
- Tags: General, Word of the Day

The word for today is…

paltry (adjective) -

1: inferior, trashy  
2: mean, despicable  
3: trivial  
4: meager, measly

Source : [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paltry?ref=goodoil.news)

Etymology : Before paltry was an adjective, it was a noun meaning trash. That now-obsolete noun came from palt or pelt, a dialect term referring to a piece of coarse cloth, or more broadly, to trash. The adjective paltry, which dates to the mid-16th century, originally described things considered worthless, or of very low quality, but it's gained a number of meanings over the centuries, none of which are complimentary. A paltry house might be neglected and unfit for occupancy; a paltry trick is a trick that is low-down and dirty; a paltry excuse is a poor one; and a paltry sum is small and insufficient.

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