What does "bagatelle" mean?
A trifle; an insubstantial thing.
Bagatelle
/ˌbæɡəˈtɛl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A trifle; an insubstantial thing.
- Grammar: bagatelle is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn.
- Useful contrasts: arcade game, grand opus, gravity.
- Usage evidence: Sir C. Oh! dear madam, don't ask me, it's a very foolish song—a mere bagatelle. Char. Oh! Sir Callaghan, I will admit of no excuse.
How to use "bagatelle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bagatelle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bagatelle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bagatelle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bagatelle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bagatelle" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a continental" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bagatelle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A trifle; an insubstantial thing. countable, uncountable
"Sir C. Oh! dear madam, don't ask me, it's a very foolish song—a mere bagatelle. Char. Oh! Sir Callaghan, I will admit of no excuse."
- 2 a table game in which short cues are used to knock balls into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over wordnet
- 3 A short piece of literature or of instrumental music, typically light or playful in character. countable, uncountable
"One afternoon in 1920. a young pianist sat down in a shuttered room in the capital of defeated Germany and played a Bagatelle by Beethoven."
- 4 something of little value or significance wordnet
- 5 A game similar to billiards played on an oblong table with pockets or arches at one end only. uncountable
"For some time they did nothing save box, but at last they went down to the bagatelle room, and played bagatelle for a bit. They marked this advance in civilization by prodding holes in the ceiling with the bagatelle cues, which gave the ceiling the appearance of a cloth target after a Gatling gun had been shooting at it."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 a light piece of music for piano wordnet
- 7 Any of several smaller wooden tabletop games developed from the original bagatelle in which the pockets are made of pins. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To meander or move around, in a manner similar to the ball in the game of bagatelle. intransitive, rare
"Admittedly Mané’s strike did rebound off a post as the ball bagatelled around the home area. It was characteristically cleared before Roberto Firmino could redirect the fall out beyond Henderson."
- 2 To bagatellize; to regard as a bagatelle. rare, transitive
"That Saddam Hussein announced his intentions to destroy Israel a long time ago was either ignored or bagatelled. “We just didn't have time to address the threat to Israel,” explained Brigitte Erler on the eve of a large peace demonstration in Bonn."
Synonyms
All synonyms a continentala cursea damna darna hootbar billiards
Antonyms
Example
"Sir C. Oh! dear madam, don't ask me, it's a very foolish song—a mere bagatelle. Char. Oh! Sir Callaghan, I will admit of no excuse."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bagatelle"?
Common synonyms include: a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn, a hoot, bar billiards.
How do you use "bagatelle" in a sentence?
Sir C. Oh! dear madam, don't ask me, it's a very foolish song—a mere bagatelle. Char. Oh! Sir Callaghan, I will admit of no excuse.
How do you pronounce "bagatelle"?
Pronounced /ˌbæɡəˈtɛl/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French bagatelle, from Italian bagattella.