platitude

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈplætɪtjuːd/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈplætɪˌtud, -ˌtjud/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(plati to̅o̅d′, -tyo̅o̅d′)



WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
plat•i•tude /ˈplætɪˌtud, -ˌtyud/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. a trite remark, said as if it were clever or important.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
plat•i•tude  (plati to̅o̅d′, -tyo̅o̅d′),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a flat, dull, or trite remark, esp. one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.
  2. the quality or state of being flat, dull, or trite:the platitude of most political oratory.
  • French: literally, flatness, equivalent. to plat flat (see plate1) + -itude, as in French latitude, altitude, magnitude, etc.
  • 1805–15
    1. cliché, truism.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
platitude /ˈplætɪˌtjuːd/ n
  1. a trite, dull, or obvious remark or statement; a commonplace
  2. staleness or insipidity of thought or language; triteness
Etymology: 19th Century: from French, literally: flatness, from plat flatˌplatiˈtudinous adj
'platitude' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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