trifle

Definition

An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.

Etymology

From Middle English trifle, trifel, triful, trefle, truyfle, trufful, from Old French trufle (“mockery”), a byform of trufe, truffe (“deception”), of uncertain origin.

Example Sentences

• "It is interesting to watch the surface joviality on screen while racism is layered between courses like soggy trifles."
• "Trifles light as air / Are to the jealous confirmation strong / As proofs of holy writ."
• "Olde Chaucer doth of Topas tell, / Mad Rablais of Pantagruell, / A latter third of Dowsabell, / With such poore trifles playing:"

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