Word of the Day: TRITE

Boooring

trite (adj) - unoriginal or hackneyed; ineffective or boring from overuse [trahyt]

BREAKDOWN: In Latin, tritus is the past participle of terere, meaning to rub. The word trite carries the connotation that novelty, interest, or sincerity have been rubbed or worn away through excessive use. The root TRIT- carries the same meaning in words like attrition and detrimental.

“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior's world.” —Pema Chodron

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]