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tuppenny-ha'penny

tuppenny-ha'penny

9.9
Very low in value and not important
  • adjective
  • /ˈtʌpəni ˈheɪpəni/
  • Archaic
: insignificante
  • She dismissed the rumor as just a tuppenny-ha'penny piece of gossip.

Examples

  • The politician's tuppenny-ha'penny promises failed to impress the public.

  • He threw away the tuppenny-ha'penny souvenirs he bought on vacation.

  • That old coin is just a tuppenny-ha'penny now.

  • He considers that idea to be tuppenny-ha'penny.

  • She dismissed the rumor as just a tuppenny-ha'penny piece of gossip.

  • The politician's tuppenny-ha'penny promises failed to impress the public.

  • He considers that idea to be tuppenny-ha'penny.

Synonyms

petty
vstuppenny-ha'penny
226 3.7

Small and unimportant in position or power

focuses on trivial value rather than hierarchical smallness
trivial
vstuppenny-ha'penny
110 3.9

Not important or serious

uses a colloquial measured phrase to express the same idea
negligible
vstuppenny-ha'penny
31 5.6

Very small or unimportant and not worth worrying about

utters the same dismissive value in a familiar phrase
potty
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • UK
11 9.0

Not serious or important

conveys the same trivial idea but with a jocular edge
nickel-and-dime
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Informal
8 7.2

Small and not important, usually involving little money

is broader, signalling triviality beyond just small sums
peanut
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Informal
7 7.0

Not very important or powerful

uses a monetary-sounding phrase to convey comparable insignificance
trifling
vstuppenny-ha'penny
7 6.6

Very small and not important enough to need attention

is the same trivial idea framed in a colloquial phrase
piddly
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Informal
5 7.9

A very small amount or unimportant detail

expresses triviality similarly but in a more old-fashioned tone
no-count
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Offensive
3 8.9

A person or thing that others see as worthless

talks about low value in objects or matters, not people
picayune
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • US
1 9.9

Small and not important

is a colloquial valuation saying the same triviality more playfully
piffling
vstuppenny-ha'penny
1 8.6

Too small or not important to matter

is a casual way to mark that same extreme insignificance
threepenny
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
1 8.4

Cheap and not worth much

is a colloquial valuation that stresses trivial monetary worth
tuppeny
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Of little value and not important

expresses that low value in a slightly dated expressive way
sixpenny
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
1 8.4

Cheap and not worth much

expresses triviality with a familiar low-cost emphasis
flyspecked
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Informal
1 7.9

A very small unimportant village or town

is a more general dismissive phrase for small importance
twopenny
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
1 9.7

Of little value and not important

means the same trivial low value rather than higher importance
twopenny-halfpenny
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
9.9

Small and of little value or importance

shares trivial sense but often with an extra petty tone
inconsequent
vstuppenny-ha'penny
9.1

Not important or serious compared with other things

uses an informal valuation to mark the same lack of worth
two-a-penny
vstuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
9.1

Very common and not worth much

focuses on low value without implying commonness

Antonyms

700 2.5

Very useful and important, for example advice or skills

How Important

crucial
437 3.6
important
∞ 1.0
minor
497 2.4
tuppenny-ha'penny
  • Archaic
9.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

tuppenny-ha'penny = tuppenny + halfpenny (transparent) = tuppenny + ha'penny

Formed from two low-value coin terms; if learners know those base words the meaning 'of little value; cheap' follows directly.

Etymology

Tuppenny-ha'penny mixes old British coin names tuppenny 'two pennies' and ha'penny 'half a penny'; both are very small amounts of money. Because they are tiny coins, calling something tuppenny-ha'penny is a way to say it is cheap, unimportant, or of little value.