trivium

[ triv-ee-uhm ]

noun

1. (during the Middle Ages) the lower division of the seven liberal arts, comprising grammar, rhetoric, and logic.

trivium

/ ˈtrɪvɪəm /

noun

1. (in medieval learning) the lower division of the seven liberal arts, consisting of grammar, rhetoric, and logic Compare quadrivium

Word History and Origins

Origin of trivium¹

1795–1805; < Medieval Latin, special use of Latin trivium public place, literally, place where three roads meet. See trivial

Word History and Origins

Origin of trivium¹

C19: from Medieval Latin, from Latin: crossroads; see trivial

Example Sentences

Just about everyone has played trivia at some point in life.

From Essence.com

She sprinkles in bits of trivia about the Arctic’s long days as an electronic track by Kina Beats plays in the background.

From Outside Online

Starting with Week 739 in 2007, it lists some 20 contests looking for fake trivia on movies, politicians, medicine, cars, fashion, animals et cetera et cetera et cetera.

From Washington Post

Instead, Spotify here runs the “Behind the Lyrics” feature provided in partnership with Genius, which offers a combination of lyrics and trivia about the song being played.

From TechCrunch

In a world full of uncertainty and chaos, there is calm in simple trivia and facts.

From Fortune

These subjects were the Trivium, and the more advanced Quadrivium.

From Project Gutenberg

The Trivium was the real basis of the secular education of the period.

From Project Gutenberg

The trivium was the most popular course; such knowledge was considered an absolute necessity for any one making claim to culture.

From Project Gutenberg

After completing the trivium, those who wished for higher culture studied the quadrivium.

From Project Gutenberg

Among the old Romans, a trivium meant a place where three ways met, and a quadrivium where four, or what we now call a cross-road.

From Project Gutenberg