Trivial

a. (sb.). [ad. L. triviālis, in sense 5 below, f. trivium (see TRIVIUM); cf. F. trivial (16th c. in Godef., Compl.).]

  I.  1. Belonging to the TRIVIUM of mediæval university studies.

1432–50.  trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 333. Sche … hade noble auditors and disciples, to whom sche redde the arte trivialle [L. trivium legeret].

1515.  Barclay, Egloges, IV. (1570), Cvj/1. If they haue smelled the artes triuiall, They count them Poetes hye and heroicall.

1597–8.  Bp. Hall, Sat., IV. i. 173. Hath … thrise rehearsed them in his triviall floare.

1807–8.  Syd. Smith, Plymley’s Lett., x. Wks. 1859, II. 178/2. The Protestants may likewise retain their trivial and grammar schools.

1904.  Ker, Dark Ages, 27. Plato does not allow the mediæval classification of Dialectic as a Trivial Art along with Grammar and Rhetoric.

  † 2.  Threefold, triple. Obs. rare^–1.

  Cf. late L. use of triviālis (Arnobius).

1432–50.  trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 25. Giraldus of Wales, which describede Topographic of Irlonde, Itinerary of Wales, and the Lyfe of Kinge Henry the Secunde, under a triuialle distinccion [L. sub triplici distinctione].

  † 3.  Placed where three roads meet. Obs. rare^–1.

1614.  Selden, Titles Hon., 129. Their other sacred Triuiall Statues.

  4.  Zool. Belonging to the TRIVIUM of an echinoderm.

1891.  in Cent. Dict.

  II.  5. Such as may be met with anywhere; common, commonplace, ordinary, everyday, familiar, trite. Now rare (passing into 6).

1589.  Nashe, Pref. Greene’s Menaphon (Arb.), 9. A few of our triviall translators.

1610.  Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, VIII. v. 291. It is triuiall in the Schooles: ‘Nothing is in the vnderstanding that was not first in the sense.’

1665.  Glanvill, Scepsis Sci., i. 8. The most ordinary and trivial Phænomena in nature.

1704.  F. Fuller, Med. Gymn. (1711), 37. Explain the manner of this by a trivial Observation.

1827.  Keble, Chr. Y., Morning, xiv. The trivial round, the common task.

1895.  MacEwen, Life Dr. Cairns, 161. This … is now the trivial definition and ground principle.

  6.  Of small account, little esteemed, paltry, poor; trifling, inconsiderable, unimportant, slight.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. i. 241. We haue but triuiall argument, More then mistrust, that shewes him worthy death.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. i. § 5. To demurre to the Truth of his so frequent Miracles, being so Redundant in working them on Triviall Occasions.

1790.  Burke, Fr. Rev., 94. They … are ready … to abandon for a very trivial interest what they find of very trivial value.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 251. The offence … could be passed by as altogether trivial.

  7.  Nat. Hist. Applied to names of animals and plants: a. to a Latin name added to the generic name to distinguish the species: = SPECIFIC A. 5; b. to a name in common as distinct from scientific use: Popular, vernacular, vulgar.

  a.  1759.  B. Stillingfl., Misc. Tracts (1762), Pref. 16. In the last edition of his Systema naturæ he [Linnæus] has mentioned above 1500 species of insects, has … given them classical, generical, and trivial or specifical names.

1815.  Kirby & Sp., Entomol. (1843), I. 181. Scolytus destructor, whose trivial name well characterises the … severity of its ravages.

1902.  C. D. Sherborn, Index Animalium, p. vii. All trivial names are entered as if they were masculine, e.g.

  b.  1815.  Burrow, Elem. Conchol., 193. The following List of English Trivial Names will be found useful to purchasers of shells, as dealers most frequently adopt them. Ibid., 194. Trivial Names. Linnæan Name. Lepas. English Name. Acorn Shell.

1901.  Spectator, 17 Aug., 216/1. The trivial name for the whole family of terns … is ‘sea-swallow.’

  III.  8. Comb., as trivial-minded adj. (whence trivial-mindedness).

1858.  The Era, 28 March, 10/3. The most trivial tours of the most trivial-minded men are cooked-up and illustrated-up by means of this deceptive art of ‘book-making’ into a degree of importance of which they are quite undeserving.

1872.  Geo. Eliot, in Cross, Life (1885), III. 161. We should … have patience with their trivial-mindedness.

1905.  A. R. Wallace, My Life, II. 383. Even in the most trivial-minded [I] was able to find some common ground of interest.

  B.  sb.

  † 1.  = TRIVIUM I (in quot. transf.). Obs. rare^–1.

1432–50.  trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 5. The triuialle [L. trivium] of the vertues theologicalle and quadriuialle of the cardinalle vertues.

  2.  pl. The three subjects of study constituting the TRIVIUM. Now only Hist.

1481, 1522.  [see QUADRIVIAL A. 2, B. 2].

1630.  Hales, Gold. Rem. (1673), 282. In the Trivials and Quadrivials, as old Clerks were wont to name them.

1691.  Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 181. Peter Heylyn … profiting in Trivials to a miracle, especially in Poetry.

1716, 1886.  [see QUADRIVIAL B. 2].

  3.  A trivial matter; a triviality, trifle. Usually pl.

1715.  M. Davies, Athen. Brit., I. 288. ’Tis scarce worth disputing … about such trivials.

1886.  Tupper, My Life as Author, 334. Take these twelve [anecdotes] as samples of many more such trivials.

  4.  Math. ‘A coefficient or other quantity not containing the quantities of the set considered’ (Cent. Dict., 1891).