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Trifle the cake so called probably because it's a light concoction. This usage dates from 1781. Interestingly (ahem) the term sponge-cake is later, 1808.
The original sense of trifle is a deception, gibe, jest, or idle tale. It comes from the Old French trufle, diminutive of truffe, with this sense. The change of vowel is Middle English.
The origin of this Old French word is unknown.
But it is, in form, effectively the same word as truffle the tuber, and indeed probably came from Latin tuber. (The consonant changes are slightly dodgy there and it's not entirely convincing.)
In the extended form terrae tuber, 'earth tuber', this gives Italian tartufo, German Kartoffel 'potato' (with another dodgy consonant shift t -> k), and the character Tartuffe.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Trifle Wordwind 03/09/02 11:37 AM Re: Trifle Faldage 03/09/02 01:25 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/09/02 03:22 PM Re: Trifle Keiva 03/09/02 03:36 PM Re: Trifle milum 03/09/02 05:01 PM Re: Trifle Angel 03/09/02 05:39 PM Re: Trifle Keiva 03/09/02 06:59 PM Hey, Milum, here's another one consuelo 03/10/02 11:42 PM Re: Trifle Faldage 03/10/02 11:30 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 11:48 PM Re: Trifle of troy 03/11/02 11:01 AM Re: Trifle Capital Kiwi 03/11/02 12:04 PM Re: Trifle Wordwind 03/11/02 12:49 PM Re: Trifle Faldage 03/11/02 12:56 PM Re: Trifle wow 03/11/02 02:32 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/11/02 03:02 PM Re: Trifle belMarduk 03/11/02 10:10 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/11/02 10:26 PM . Max Quordlepleen 03/11/02 11:46 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/12/02 12:06 AM Re: Trifle Keiva 03/12/02 12:27 AM Re: Trifle stales 03/12/02 01:06 PM Re: Trifle Jazzoctopus 03/13/02 12:04 AM Re: Trifle wwh 03/13/02 12:33 AM . Max Quordlepleen 03/13/02 12:50 AM Re: Trifle Capital Kiwi 03/13/02 06:03 AM . Max Quordlepleen 03/13/02 08:43 AM Re: Trifle Jackie 03/13/02 11:52 AM Re: Trifle wwh 03/13/02 02:18 PM Re: Trifle Jackie 03/13/02 01:47 AM . Max Quordlepleen 03/12/02 12:49 AM Re: Trifle wwh 03/12/02 01:17 AM . Max Quordlepleen 03/12/02 01:42 AM Re: Titanium Trifles Jackie 03/12/02 12:58 PM Re: Trifle Angel 03/12/02 01:23 AM Re: Trifle wwh 03/12/02 01:41 AM Re: Trifle Wordwind 03/12/02 12:28 PM Re: Trifle Sparteye 03/13/02 03:54 PM Re: Trifle Wordwind 03/13/02 06:29 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/13/02 07:12 PM Re: Trifle NicholasW 03/09/02 04:57 PM Re: Trifle Capital Kiwi 03/10/02 12:00 AM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 01:11 AM Re: Trifle Wordwind 03/10/02 09:48 AM Re: Trifle milum 03/10/02 01:09 PM Re: Trifle TEd Remington 03/10/02 06:09 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 08:30 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 08:45 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 08:49 PM Re: Trifle stales 03/10/02 01:59 PM Re: Trifle OrionsBelt~ 03/10/02 02:14 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 02:22 PM Re: Trifle wwh 03/10/02 04:30 PM
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