# trinket

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɹɪŋkɪt/ · frequency rank #41,913

## Definitions
1. A small, showy ornament, especially a piece of jewellery.
2. A thing of little value; a toy, a trifle.
3. A small item of food; a small dainty.
4. A small item forming part of a set of equipment; an accessory, an accoutrement.
5. An item used in a religious rite (also, a religious rite, belief, etc.) regarded as superfluous or trivial.

## Etymology
The origin of the noun is unknown; the word is possibly related to Old French tryncle (“piece of jewellery”). The following have also been suggested:
* From Middle English trenket, trynket (“small knife, specifically, a cordwainer’s knife”).
* From trick (“plaything, toy; trifle”, noun) or trick (verb).
However, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, there is insufficient evidence of any shift of meaning from these words to the current meanings of trinket.
The verb is derived from the noun.

## Easily confused with
- **triplet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trinket-vs-triplet)
- **ticket** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ticket-vs-trinket)
- **tinker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinker-vs-trinket)
- **thinker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/thinker-vs-trinket)
- **thicket** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/thicket-vs-trinket)

## Common misspellings (11)
`rtinket`, `tirnket`, `triknet`, `trinekt`, `trinkett`, `trinkket`, `trinkte`, `trinnket`, `trniket`, `trrinket`, `ttrinket`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/trinket