paltry

UK: /ˈpɔːltri/ US: /ˈpɔltri/ ,(pôl′trē)

Inflections of 'paltry' (adj):

paltrier

adj comparative

paltriest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pal•try /ˈpɔltri/   adj., -tri•er, -tri•est. 

1. ridiculously or insultingly small:
   a paltry wage.
2. completely worthless:
   paltry clothes.

pal•tri•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pal•try  (pôl′trē), adj., -tri•er, -tri•est. 

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

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

pal′tri•ly, adv. 
pal′tri•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. minor, inconsiderable, slight, insignificant. See petty. 

Antonyms

• 1. important, major.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

paltry / ˈpɔːltrɪ/ adjective ( -trier, -triest)

1. insignificant; meagre
2. worthless or petty

Etymology: 16th Century: from Low Germanic palter, paltrig ragged

ˈpaltrily adverb

ˈpaltriness noun