Meanings
comparative more nugacious · superlative most nugacious
- archaicTrivial, trifling or of little importance.
’Tis theſe nugacious Diſputations, that have been the great hinderance to the more improveable parts of Learning: […]
1661, Joseph Glanvill, “Chap[ter] XVII. […]”, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 1652 more examples
How many are the ſpurious Authors of theſe Arts; that have uſurped to themſelves the names and titles of holy men, and of men more famous in their own way; on purpoſe to vend their nugacious fables, and preſtigious impoſtures with more eſteem?
1652, John Gaule, “From the testimony of Authority”, in Πῦς-μαντία [Pûs-mantía]. The Mag-Astro-Mancer, or, The Magicall-Astrologicall-Diviner Posed, and Puzzled., London: […] Joshua Kirton […], page 57Like the Monastic Orders, which were continually subdividing upon some quarrel of reform, .. for the restoration of old observances, or the introduction of new; sometimes for things as nugacious as the colour of a habit, or the shape of a cowl.
1829, Robert Southey, “Colloquy [X.] Part II. The Reformation.—Dissenters.—Methodists.”, in Sir Thomas More: or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society. […], volume II, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 61
Origin
From Latin nūgax, nūgācis (“trifling”) + -ous.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
nugacious. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nugacious
“nugacious.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nugacious. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nugacious,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nugacious.
Source: nugacious on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.