trite

Etymology 1

From Latin trītus "worn out," a form of the verb terō (“I wear away, wear out”).

adj

  1. Often in reference to a word or phrase: used so many times that it is commonplace, or no longer interesting or effective; worn out, hackneyed.
    It is a trite saying in a young country that anyone starting out in life with the determination to become wealthy will have his wish gratified. 1897, W. B. Kimberly, History of West Australia : A Narrative of Her Past together with Biographies of Her Leading Men
    It is trite history – and trite law – to say that the law of the sea since that time [World War II] reflects a history of coastal State expansion. 1994, Anthony Bergin, “The High Seas Regime – Pacific Trends and Developments”, in James Crawford, Donald R. Rothwell, editors, The Law of the Sea in the Asian Pacific Region: Developments and Prospects, Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, page 183
    McPedro the cactus: How to woo a woman! On yehr fahrst date, don’t bring her cut flowers! That’s inhumane! And trite! 2007, Danielle Corsetto, Girls with Slingshots: 267
  2. (law">law) So well established as to be beyond debate: trite law">law.
    It is trite to say that the mere fact that a decision does not favour the applicant or that the applicant disagrees with the decision does not establish that the decision is tainted with bias. 2017, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Taucar v Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, 2017 ONSC 2604

Etymology 2

noun

  1. A denomination of coinage in ancient Greece equivalent to one third of a stater.
  2. Trite, a genus of spiders, found in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, of the family Salticidae.

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