picayune

English

Etymology

From a Spanish [Term?] word for an old coin worth half a real, via French picaillon, which is itself from the Old Provençal picaioun (“small coin”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: ʹpĭk'ə'yo͝on, IPA^(key): /ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/
• Rhymes: -uːn

Adjective

picayune (comparative more picayune, superlative most picayune)

1. Petty, trivial; of little consequence; small and of little importance; picayunish;
   • 2005, New York Times, November 17, 2005

     "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."

2. Small-minded: being childishly spiteful, tending to go on about unimportant things.

Synonyms

• petty, trivial

Noun

picayune (plural picayunes)

1. (US, especially Louisiana, archaic) A small coin of the value of six and a quarter cents; a fippenny bit.
2. (archaic) A five-cent piece.
3. Something of very little value; a trifle.
4. An argument, fact, corner case, or other issue raised (often intentionally) that distracts from a larger issue at hand or does not change a primary supposition, outcome, postulate, premise, conclusion, hypothesis, judgment or recommendation.

Translations

A small coin of the value of six and a quarter cents.

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} Spaans-Amerikaans.e muntstukje

A five-cent piece.

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} 5 cent muntstuk

Something of very little value.

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} minnetjes (nl), ^{(please verify)} onbenulligheid

See also

• picayune on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Picayune in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.