bagatelle

Where does the word "bagatelle" come from? It comes from Italian bagattella, passing through French before entering English (1630s).

Bagatelle’s story begins in Italian: bagattella meant “trifle.” A trifle, perhaps from 'baga', a small bag or thing. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in French as bagatelle. A trifle; Beethoven's 'Für Elise' is a piano bagatelle. It reached English by 1630s as bagatelle. Also the name of a table game from the 1800s, an ancestor of pinball. Today, bagatelle means something of little importance; a short light piece of music.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1500s bagattella "trifle", a trifle, perhaps from 'baga', a small bag or thing.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1600s bagatelle "trifle", a trifle; Beethoven's 'Für Elise' is a piano bagatelle.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1630s bagatelle "trifle", also the name of a table game from the 1800s, an ancestor of pinball.