trywialny

Trywialny is a Polish adjective used to describe something that is banal, obvious, or of little complexity. It applies to ideas, statements, problems, or tasks that require little effort to understand or solve. In everyday language, it often carries a pejorative nuance, implying lack of originality or significance. In technical contexts, especially in mathematics, logic, and philosophy, the term denotes something that is straightforward or self-evident, sometimes to the point of leaving little room for interesting analysis.

The noun form is trywialność, and the related verb forms include trywializować (to render trivial) or robić coś trywialnym (to treat as trivial). In mathematical usage, phrases such as rozwiązać problem trywialnie (to solve a problem trivially) or przypadek trywialny (a trivial case) are common. A well-known mathematical example is the trivial group, called grupa trywialna in Polish, which consists of a single element.

Etymology-wise, trywialny derives from Latin trivialis, meaning common or ordinary, and entered Polish through historical linguistic contacts, likely via Latin or French sources. The Polish form has developed its own semantic nuances, distinct from but related to the general sense of “trivial” found in many languages.

Usage notes: while synonyms include banalny, pospolity, oczywisty, and sometimes prosty, each carries a different shade. Banalny stresses lack of novelty; oczywisty emphasizes obviousness; prosty stresses simplicity. Trywialny often implies that deeper analysis is unnecessary or that the topic lacks depth.

See also: trywialność, trivialność, rozkład przypadków trywialnych, grúpa trywialna.