A trinket is a small object that's fun to have but not particularly valuable or useful. Think of the little prizes you might win at a carnival, the tiny souvenirs sold at gift shops, or the colorful plastic rings and charms that come in cereal boxes. Trinkets are the sorts of things you might collect in a box or drawer: interesting buttons, small figurines, unusual coins, or shiny stones.

The word often suggests something inexpensive and decorative rather than practical. A jeweler might dismiss costume jewelry as mere trinkets compared to real diamonds. Your grandmother's jewelry box might contain precious heirlooms alongside simple trinkets she picked up on various trips.

Trinkets become meaningful not because they're worth money, but because of the memories attached to them. That plastic keychain from your first trip to the beach or the small carved elephant a friend brought you from vacation might be a trinket to anyone else, but it’s special to you. Some people love collecting trinkets, while others see them as clutter. Either way, trinkets are those little objects that catch your eye, make you smile, and remind you of something or someone, even if they'd never be worth much at a yard sale.