"picayune" meaning in English

See picayune in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˌpɪkəˈjun/ [General-American], /-ki-/ [General-American] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-picayune.wav Forms: more picayune [comparative], most picayune [superlative]
enPR: ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on [Received-Pronunciation] Rhymes: -uːn Etymology: The noun is borrowed from southern French picaillon, pécaillon, picayon (“type of small foreign coin; (informal, especially in the plural) cash, money”), and from its etymon Occitan picalhon, picaioun (“cheaply made Savoyan-Piedmontese coin that was rapidly demonetized; (by extension) cash, money”), probably from Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”) (referring to the clinking of coins in a pocket), originally imitative. The adjective is derived from the noun. Etymology templates: {{ref|From the collection of the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.|group=n|name=n1}}, {{glossary|noun}} noun, {{bor|en|fr|picaillon}} French picaillon, {{glossary|etymon}} etymon, {{bor|en|oc|picalhon}} Occitan picalhon, {{der|en|oc|piquar|t=to ring (bells); to knock, strike}} Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”), {{glossary|imitative}} imitative, {{glossary|adjective}} adjective Head templates: {{en-adj}} picayune (comparative more picayune, superlative most picayune), {{term-label|en|chiefly|US|informal}} (chiefly US, informal)
  1. Of little consequence; small and of little importance; petty, trivial. Tags: US, informal Categories (topical): Coins, Historical currencies Synonyms: picayunish, insignificant
    Sense id: en-picayune-en-adj-94ctFq4C Disambiguation of Coins: 12 15 22 20 20 10 Disambiguation of Historical currencies: 13 15 20 17 24 11 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 26 14 12 23 11 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 26 16 8 25 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 22 16 12 26 10
  2. Childishly spiteful; tending to go on about unimportant things; small-minded. Tags: US, informal Categories (topical): Coins, Historical currencies, History of Spain, History of the United States, People Synonyms: peevish, petty
    Sense id: en-picayune-en-adj-kBYb3KR9 Disambiguation of Coins: 12 15 22 20 20 10 Disambiguation of Historical currencies: 13 15 20 17 24 11 Disambiguation of History of Spain: 3 41 45 3 5 3 Disambiguation of History of the United States: 11 39 10 8 17 15 Disambiguation of People: 13 81 1 1 2 1 Categories (other): American English, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of American English: 12 36 10 11 17 13 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 26 14 12 23 11 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 26 16 8 25 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 22 16 12 26 10
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: picayunely, picayuneness

Noun

IPA: /ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˌpɪkəˈjun/ [General-American], /-ki-/ [General-American] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-picayune.wav Forms: picayunes [plural]
enPR: ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on [Received-Pronunciation] Rhymes: -uːn Etymology: The noun is borrowed from southern French picaillon, pécaillon, picayon (“type of small foreign coin; (informal, especially in the plural) cash, money”), and from its etymon Occitan picalhon, picaioun (“cheaply made Savoyan-Piedmontese coin that was rapidly demonetized; (by extension) cash, money”), probably from Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”) (referring to the clinking of coins in a pocket), originally imitative. The adjective is derived from the noun. Etymology templates: {{ref|From the collection of the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.|group=n|name=n1}}, {{glossary|noun}} noun, {{bor|en|fr|picaillon}} French picaillon, {{glossary|etymon}} etymon, {{bor|en|oc|picalhon}} Occitan picalhon, {{der|en|oc|piquar|t=to ring (bells); to knock, strike}} Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”), {{glossary|imitative}} imitative, {{glossary|adjective}} adjective Head templates: {{en-noun}} picayune (plural picayunes), {{term-label|en|chiefly|US}} (chiefly US)
  1. (especially Louisiana, historical) A small coin of the value of six-and-a-quarter cents; a Spanish coin with a value of half a real; a fippenny bit. Tags: Louisiana, US, especially, historical Categories (topical): Coins, Historical currencies, History of Spain
    Sense id: en-picayune-en-noun-OYhZZpHO Disambiguation of Coins: 12 15 22 20 20 10 Disambiguation of Historical currencies: 13 15 20 17 24 11 Disambiguation of History of Spain: 3 41 45 3 5 3 Categories (other): Louisiana English, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 26 14 12 23 11 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 26 16 8 25 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 22 16 12 26 10
  2. (by extension, archaic) A coin worth five cents (a nickel) or some other low value. Tags: US, archaic, broadly Categories (topical): Coins, Historical currencies
    Sense id: en-picayune-en-noun-rivls5eh Disambiguation of Coins: 12 15 22 20 20 10 Disambiguation of Historical currencies: 13 15 20 17 24 11 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 26 14 12 23 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 22 16 12 26 10
  3. (figuratively, informal) A person regarded as unworthy of respect or useless; also, something of very little value; a trifle. Tags: US, figuratively, informal Categories (topical): Coins, Historical currencies Synonyms: nonentity, trifle
    Sense id: en-picayune-en-noun-xkQXm5Kf Disambiguation of Coins: 12 15 22 20 20 10 Disambiguation of Historical currencies: 13 15 20 17 24 11 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Dutch translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 26 14 12 23 11 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 11 24 12 9 36 9 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 26 16 8 25 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 22 16 12 26 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 15 20 14 12 27 12
  4. (figuratively, informal) An argument, fact, or other issue raised (often intentionally) that distracts from a larger issue or fails to make any difference. Tags: US, figuratively, informal Categories (topical): Coins, Historical currencies
    Sense id: en-picayune-en-noun-0N5sJXwX Disambiguation of Coins: 12 15 22 20 20 10 Disambiguation of Historical currencies: 13 15 20 17 24 11 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 26 14 12 23 11 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 26 16 8 25 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 22 16 12 26 10
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: picayuneish, picayunish, picayunishness, picayunity

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "picayuneish"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "picayunish"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "picayunishness"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "picayunity"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "From the collection of the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.",
        "group": "n",
        "name": "n1"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "ref"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "noun",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "picaillon"
      },
      "expansion": "French picaillon",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "etymon"
      },
      "expansion": "etymon",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "oc",
        "3": "picalhon"
      },
      "expansion": "Occitan picalhon",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "oc",
        "3": "piquar",
        "t": "to ring (bells); to knock, strike"
      },
      "expansion": "Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "imitative"
      },
      "expansion": "imitative",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "adjective",
      "name": "glossary"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is borrowed from southern French picaillon, pécaillon, picayon (“type of small foreign coin; (informal, especially in the plural) cash, money”), and from its etymon Occitan picalhon, picaioun (“cheaply made Savoyan-Piedmontese coin that was rapidly demonetized; (by extension) cash, money”), probably from Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”) (referring to the clinking of coins in a pocket), originally imitative.\nThe adjective is derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "picayunes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "picayune (plural picayunes)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "chiefly",
        "3": "US"
      },
      "expansion": "(chiefly US)",
      "name": "term-label"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "pic‧a‧yune"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Louisiana English",
          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
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          "_dis": "15 26 16 8 25 11",
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          "name": "Coins",
          "orig": "en:Coins",
          "parents": [
            "Money",
            "Business",
            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
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            "Sciences",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 15 20 17 24 11",
          "kind": "topical",
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          "name": "Historical currencies",
          "orig": "en:Historical currencies",
          "parents": [
            "Currencies",
            "Currency",
            "Money",
            "Business",
            "Economics",
            "Society",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 41 45 3 5 3",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "History of Spain",
          "orig": "en:History of Spain",
          "parents": [
            "History of Europe",
            "Spain",
            "Europe",
            "History",
            "Earth",
            "Eurasia",
            "All topics",
            "Nature",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A small coin of the value of six-and-a-quarter cents; a Spanish coin with a value of half a real; a fippenny bit."
      ],
      "id": "en-picayune-en-noun-OYhZZpHO",
      "links": [
        [
          "small",
          "small"
        ],
        [
          "coin",
          "coin#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "value",
          "value#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "six",
          "six"
        ],
        [
          "quarter",
          "quarter#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "cent",
          "cent"
        ],
        [
          "Spanish",
          "Spanish#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "half",
          "half"
        ],
        [
          "real",
          "real#English:_coin"
        ],
        [
          "fippenny bit",
          "fippenny bit"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(especially Louisiana, historical) A small coin of the value of six-and-a-quarter cents; a Spanish coin with a value of half a real; a fippenny bit."
      ],
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        "Louisiana",
        "US",
        "especially",
        "historical"
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          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 22 16 12 26 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
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          "kind": "topical",
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          "orig": "en:Coins",
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            "Business",
            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Sciences",
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          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "13 15 20 17 24 11",
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          "orig": "en:Historical currencies",
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            "Currency",
            "Money",
            "Business",
            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Sciences",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A coin worth five cents (a nickel) or some other low value."
      ],
      "id": "en-picayune-en-noun-rivls5eh",
      "links": [
        [
          "worth",
          "worth#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "five",
          "five"
        ],
        [
          "nickel",
          "nickel#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "low",
          "low#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension, archaic) A coin worth five cents (a nickel) or some other low value."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "archaic",
        "broadly"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "13 26 14 12 23 11",
          "kind": "other",
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            "Entry maintenance"
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        {
          "_dis": "11 24 12 9 36 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 26 16 8 25 11",
          "kind": "other",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 22 16 12 26 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 20 14 12 27 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
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          "name": "Coins",
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            "Business",
            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Sciences",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 15 20 17 24 11",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
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          "orig": "en:Historical currencies",
          "parents": [
            "Currencies",
            "Currency",
            "Money",
            "Business",
            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Sciences",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "(person unworthy of respect or useless):"
        },
        {
          "text": "(something of very little value):"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person regarded as unworthy of respect or useless; also, something of very little value; a trifle."
      ],
      "id": "en-picayune-en-noun-xkQXm5Kf",
      "links": [
        [
          "person",
          "person"
        ],
        [
          "regarded",
          "regard#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "unworthy",
          "unworthy"
        ],
        [
          "respect",
          "respect#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "useless",
          "useless"
        ],
        [
          "little",
          "little"
        ],
        [
          "trifle",
          "trifle#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively, informal) A person regarded as unworthy of respect or useless; also, something of very little value; a trifle."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "nonentity"
        },
        {
          "word": "trifle"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "figuratively",
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
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          "orig": "en:Coins",
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          "kind": "topical",
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          "orig": "en:Historical currencies",
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            "Currency",
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            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Sciences",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An argument, fact, or other issue raised (often intentionally) that distracts from a larger issue or fails to make any difference."
      ],
      "id": "en-picayune-en-noun-0N5sJXwX",
      "links": [
        [
          "argument",
          "argument"
        ],
        [
          "fact",
          "fact"
        ],
        [
          "issue",
          "issue#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "raised",
          "raise#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "intentionally",
          "intentionally"
        ],
        [
          "distract",
          "distract"
        ],
        [
          "large",
          "large"
        ],
        [
          "fails",
          "fail#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "difference",
          "difference"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively, informal) An argument, fact, or other issue raised (often intentionally) that distracts from a larger issue or fails to make any difference."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "figuratively",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-picayune.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-picayune.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-picayune.wav.mp3",
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    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjun/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ki-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːn"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Missouri History Museum"
  ],
  "word": "picayune"
}

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "picayunely"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "picayuneness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "From the collection of the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.",
        "group": "n",
        "name": "n1"
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      "expansion": "",
      "name": "ref"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "noun"
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      "expansion": "noun",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "picaillon"
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      "expansion": "French picaillon",
      "name": "bor"
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      "expansion": "etymon",
      "name": "glossary"
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    {
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        "3": "picalhon"
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      "expansion": "Occitan picalhon",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "oc",
        "3": "piquar",
        "t": "to ring (bells); to knock, strike"
      },
      "expansion": "Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
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      "expansion": "imitative",
      "name": "glossary"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "adjective",
      "name": "glossary"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is borrowed from southern French picaillon, pécaillon, picayon (“type of small foreign coin; (informal, especially in the plural) cash, money”), and from its etymon Occitan picalhon, picaioun (“cheaply made Savoyan-Piedmontese coin that was rapidly demonetized; (by extension) cash, money”), probably from Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”) (referring to the clinking of coins in a pocket), originally imitative.\nThe adjective is derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more picayune",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
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    },
    {
      "form": "most picayune",
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        "superlative"
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  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
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    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "13 26 14 12 23 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "_dis": "15 22 16 12 26 10",
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        {
          "_dis": "12 15 22 20 20 10",
          "kind": "topical",
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            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
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          "kind": "topical",
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          "orig": "en:Historical currencies",
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            "Business",
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          "ref": "1997, David Foster Wallace, “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”, in A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN:",
          "text": "It's also representative of a psychological syndrome that I notice has gotten steadily worse as the Cruise wears on, a mental list of dissatisfactions and grievances that started picayune but has quickly become nearly despair-grade.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2005 November 17, Sarah Lyall, “In an old Celtic revival, spelling is a test of wills”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:",
          "text": "[T]here are four competing groups promoting the language – and they cannot agree even on how it should be spelled (Kernewek, Kernowek, Kernuak and Curnoack, among others). It might seem like a picayune matter, akin to the rivalry in the film \"Monty Python's Life of Brian\" between the Judean People's Front, the Judean Popular People's Front and the People's Front of Judea. But the issue is deadly serious to speakers of Cornish.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
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        "Of little consequence; small and of little importance; petty, trivial."
      ],
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          "little",
          "little"
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        [
          "consequence",
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          "small",
          "small"
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        [
          "importance",
          "importance"
        ],
        [
          "petty",
          "petty"
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          "trivial",
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      ],
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        {
          "word": "picayunish"
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        {
          "word": "insignificant"
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      "tags": [
        "US",
        "informal"
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          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 41 45 3 5 3",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "History of Spain",
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          "parents": [
            "History of Europe",
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            "Europe",
            "History",
            "Earth",
            "Eurasia",
            "All topics",
            "Nature",
            "Fundamental"
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            "Fundamental",
            "Earth",
            "Nature"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
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          "_dis": "13 81 1 1 2 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
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          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
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        "Childishly spiteful; tending to go on about unimportant things; small-minded."
      ],
      "id": "en-picayune-en-adj-kBYb3KR9",
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        [
          "Childishly",
          "childishly"
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        [
          "spiteful",
          "spiteful"
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          "tend",
          "tend"
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        [
          "go on",
          "go on"
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        [
          "unimportant",
          "unimportant"
        ],
        [
          "thing",
          "thing"
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        [
          "small-minded",
          "small-minded"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "peevish"
        },
        {
          "word": "petty"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
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      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-picayune.wav",
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    },
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      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjun/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
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      "ipa": "/-ki-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
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    {
      "rhymes": "-uːn"
    }
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    "Missouri History Museum"
  ],
  "word": "picayune"
}
{
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    "English terms borrowed from Occitan",
    "English terms derived from French",
    "English terms derived from Occitan",
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    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Dutch translations",
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    "Rhymes:English/uːn/3 syllables",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
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    "en:Historical currencies",
    "en:History of Spain",
    "en:History of the United States",
    "en:People"
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  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "picayuneish"
    },
    {
      "word": "picayunish"
    },
    {
      "word": "picayunishness"
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    {
      "word": "picayunity"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "adjective",
      "name": "glossary"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is borrowed from southern French picaillon, pécaillon, picayon (“type of small foreign coin; (informal, especially in the plural) cash, money”), and from its etymon Occitan picalhon, picaioun (“cheaply made Savoyan-Piedmontese coin that was rapidly demonetized; (by extension) cash, money”), probably from Occitan piquar (“to ring (bells); to knock, strike”) (referring to the clinking of coins in a pocket), originally imitative.\nThe adjective is derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
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      "form": "picayunes",
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  "head_templates": [
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  "lang_code": "en",
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      "categories": [
        "English terms with historical senses",
        "Louisiana English"
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        "A small coin of the value of six-and-a-quarter cents; a Spanish coin with a value of half a real; a fippenny bit."
      ],
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        [
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        [
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          "Spanish#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "half",
          "half"
        ],
        [
          "real",
          "real#English:_coin"
        ],
        [
          "fippenny bit",
          "fippenny bit"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(especially Louisiana, historical) A small coin of the value of six-and-a-quarter cents; a Spanish coin with a value of half a real; a fippenny bit."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Louisiana",
        "US",
        "especially",
        "historical"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with archaic senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A coin worth five cents (a nickel) or some other low value."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "worth#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "five",
          "five"
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          "nickel#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "low",
          "low#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension, archaic) A coin worth five cents (a nickel) or some other low value."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "archaic",
        "broadly"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "(person unworthy of respect or useless):"
        },
        {
          "text": "(something of very little value):"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person regarded as unworthy of respect or useless; also, something of very little value; a trifle."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "person",
          "person"
        ],
        [
          "regarded",
          "regard#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "unworthy",
          "unworthy"
        ],
        [
          "respect",
          "respect#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "useless",
          "useless"
        ],
        [
          "little",
          "little"
        ],
        [
          "trifle",
          "trifle#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively, informal) A person regarded as unworthy of respect or useless; also, something of very little value; a trifle."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "nonentity"
        },
        {
          "word": "trifle"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "figuratively",
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An argument, fact, or other issue raised (often intentionally) that distracts from a larger issue or fails to make any difference."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "argument",
          "argument"
        ],
        [
          "fact",
          "fact"
        ],
        [
          "issue",
          "issue#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "raised",
          "raise#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "intentionally",
          "intentionally"
        ],
        [
          "distract",
          "distract"
        ],
        [
          "large",
          "large"
        ],
        [
          "fails",
          "fail#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "difference",
          "difference"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively, informal) An argument, fact, or other issue raised (often intentionally) that distracts from a larger issue or fails to make any difference."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "figuratively",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
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      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-picayune.wav",
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      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjun/",
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        "General-American"
      ]
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      "ipa": "/-ki-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
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    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːn"
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  ],
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    "Missouri History Museum"
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  "word": "picayune"
}

{
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  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "picayunely"
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      "word": "picayuneness"
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  ],
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      "args": {
        "1": "adjective"
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      "expansion": "adjective",
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    }
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        {
          "ref": "1997, David Foster Wallace, “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”, in A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN:",
          "text": "It's also representative of a psychological syndrome that I notice has gotten steadily worse as the Cruise wears on, a mental list of dissatisfactions and grievances that started picayune but has quickly become nearly despair-grade.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2005 November 17, Sarah Lyall, “In an old Celtic revival, spelling is a test of wills”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:",
          "text": "[T]here are four competing groups promoting the language – and they cannot agree even on how it should be spelled (Kernewek, Kernowek, Kernuak and Curnoack, among others). It might seem like a picayune matter, akin to the rivalry in the film \"Monty Python's Life of Brian\" between the Judean People's Front, the Judean Popular People's Front and the People's Front of Judea. But the issue is deadly serious to speakers of Cornish.",
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      ],
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        {
          "word": "picayunish"
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        {
          "word": "insignificant"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Childishly spiteful; tending to go on about unimportant things; small-minded."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Childishly",
          "childishly"
        ],
        [
          "spiteful",
          "spiteful"
        ],
        [
          "tend",
          "tend"
        ],
        [
          "go on",
          "go on"
        ],
        [
          "unimportant",
          "unimportant"
        ],
        [
          "thing",
          "thing"
        ],
        [
          "small-minded",
          "small-minded"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "peevish"
        },
        {
          "word": "petty"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-picayune.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-picayune.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-picayune.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-picayune.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-picayune.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌpɪkəˈjun/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ki-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːn"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Missouri History Museum"
  ],
  "word": "picayune"
}

Download raw JSONL data for picayune meaning in English (10.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.