mess of pottage

noun

Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.

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Meanings

nounmess of pottage (plural messes of pottage)

plural messes of pottage

  1. idiomaticSomething of trivial value, especially of immediate value.

Origin

See sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mess of pottage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mess%20of%20pottage

MLA

“mess of pottage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mess%20of%20pottage. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mess of pottage,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mess%20of%20pottage.

Source: mess of pottage on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.