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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

bagatelle

/ˌbæɡəˈtɛl/

IPA accent not specified by source

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:39
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What does bagatelle mean?

noun

  1. A trifle; an insubstantial thing.
  2. A short piece of literature or of instrumental music, typically light or playful in character.
  3. A game similar to billiards played on an oblong table with pockets or arches at one end only.
More meanings (3)

noun

  1. Any of several smaller wooden tabletop games developed from the original bagatelle in which the pockets are made of pins.

verb

  1. (rare) To meander or move around, in a manner similar to the ball in the game of bagatelle.
  2. (rare) To bagatellize; to regard as a bagatelle.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˌbæɡəˈtɛl/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

My head aches at the thought of the bookkeeping, but Percy waves that aside as a mere bagatelle.
Jean WebsterDear EnemyProject Gutenberg ebook #238
He was a member of the Baldwin, the Cavendish, and the Bagatelle card clubs.
Arthur Conan DoyleThe Return of Sherlock HolmesProject Gutenberg ebook #108
More book examples (3)
When we consider what a delicate and perishable fruit this is, it can be understood that gathering and packing it properly is no bagatelle.
Edward Payson RoeSuccess with Small FruitsProject Gutenberg ebook #6117
“A mere matter of detail, a bagatelle,” said J. T. Maston.
Jules VerneFrom the Earth to the moon; and, round the moonProject Gutenberg ebook #83
Each one appropriated a bagatelle, until the traveller was stripped bare.
Louis GinzbergThe Legends of the Jews — Volume 1Translated by Henrietta SzoldProject Gutenberg ebook #1493