twobit

Twobit, often written as two-bit or twobit, is a colloquial term in American English that describes something cheap, petty, or of low value. The expression derives from two bits, a quarter dollar in old U.S. coinage, and has been used since the 19th century to suggest something small-scale or insignificant.

In usage, two-bit functions primarily as an adjective, as in two-bit crime or a two-bit trick, and it can also appear in noun form in phrases like “a two-bit thief.” The tone is generally pejorative, signaling low quality, unseriousness, or lack of importance, and it is common in informal speech and journalism when characterizing inexpensive or unsophisticated things.

In popular culture, twobit has appeared as a nickname in literary works. A well-known example is the character Two-Bit Matthews in S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, a wisecracking member of the Greasers. The nickname conveys a casual, outspoken personality and loyalty to his group.

Usage and orthography vary. Some writers prefer two-bit without the hyphen in modern contexts, while others retain the hyphen or use the run-together form twobit. Regardless of spelling, the term remains a staple in North American English for signaling triviality, low status, or inexpensive quality.