platitude

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

An often-quoted saying that is supposed to be meaningful but has become unoriginal or hackneyed through overuse.
A claim that is trivially true, to the point of being uninteresting.
Flatness; lack of change, activity, or deviation.
Unoriginality; triteness.

Pronunciation

/ˈplatɪˌtjuːd/ /ˈplatɪˌtʃuːd/ /ˈplætɪˌt(j)ud/ en-us-platitude.ogg /ˈplatɪˌtjʉd/ /ˈplatɪˌtʃʉd/ /ˈplætɪˌtʃʉːd/ en-au-platitude.ogg

Word forms

platitude platitudes

Etymology

Borrowed from French platitude, from plat (“flat”).

Synonyms

cliché byword saying adage saw proverb maxim apothegm apophthegm dictum gnome gnomic saying mantra paroemia truism

Related words

Platitude Pete platitudinal platitudinally platitudinarian platitudinarianism platitudinisation platitudinise platitudiniser platitudinization platitudinize platitudinizer platitudinous

Derived words

platitudeness

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