picayune

¹ American  

[pik-ee-yoon, pik-uh-] / ˌpɪk iˈyun, ˌpɪk ə- /

adjective

Informal.

1. of little value or account; small; trifling.

   a picayune amount.

   Synonyms:

   trivial, paltry, nugatory, measly, insignificant, inconsequential

2. petty, carping, or prejudiced.

   I didn't want to seem picayune by criticizing.

   Synonyms:

   illiberal, small-minded, petty, narrow-minded, narrow

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noun

1. (formerly, in Louisiana, Florida, etc.) a coin equal to half a Spanish real.

2. any small coin, as a five-cent piece.

3. Informal. an insignificant person or thing.

Picayune ² American  

[pik-uh-yoon, pik-ee-] / ˌpɪk əˈyun, ˌpɪk i- /

noun

1. a town in SE Mississippi.

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picayune British  

/ ˌpɪkəˈjuːn /

adjective

1. of small value or importance

2. mean; petty

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noun

1. the half real, an old Spanish-American coin

2. any coin of little value, esp a five-cent piece

Other Word Forms

• picayunishly adverb
• picayunishness noun

Etymology

Origin of picayune

First recorded in 1780–90; from Provençal picaioun “small copper coin” (compare French picaillons ), derivative of an unattested onomatopoetic base pikk- “beat,” here referring to the coining of coppers

Example Sentences

The next-largest categories, and we think the most concerning, encompass election administration and absentee voting – often challenging mechanical, even picayune matters.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2022

It is cluttered with the unruly archives of Mama Tina, Glasgow’s mother and co-missionary, and it can seem picayune.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 7, 2018

More often than not, the police station fielded neighborhood disputes that were remarkable for their picayune character.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2018

The concerns of the Chateau — and “The Château” — feel picayune by comparison.

From Washington Post • Feb. 23, 2018

I made the mistake of saying we were back to the picayune grind.

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson