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Everyday Life • Games

Trivia

Trivia is information, facts, or details that are considered interesting, obscure, or of minor importance.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Trivia refers to interesting, obscure, or minor facts. It's also the name for quiz games that test general knowledge.

Definition

Trivia is information, facts, or details that are considered interesting, obscure, or of minor importance. In common use, the term also refers to quiz games and question-and-answer contests built around such facts.

Use in games

Trivia has become a common format for board games, pub quizzes, television contests, and online quiz platforms. These games typically reward broad general knowledge and quick recall.

Cultural role

Trivia is used both for entertainment and for informal education. It often blends popular culture with academic subjects, making it accessible to wide audiences.

In short

  • Trivia facts are often minor, obscure, or amusing.
  • Trivia quizzes test general knowledge across many topics.
  • Trivia is popular in pub quizzes, board games, and online platforms.
  • It blends entertainment with informal learning.
Canadian angle

Trivia is widely used in Canada in pub quizzes, school activities, board games, and media-based contests, especially in English-language leisure and educational settings.

Quick questions

What does trivia mean?
Trivia means small, interesting, or obscure facts that are usually considered of limited practical importance.
What kinds of topics appear in trivia games?
Trivia games often include history, science, geography, sports, music, film, television, and general culture.
Where is trivia commonly used?
Trivia is commonly used in pub quizzes, game shows, classroom review activities, books, and online quiz platforms.

Sources

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/quiz/tightrope
    Supports: Shows the modern use of trivia in quiz-game format.
  2. FunTriviahttps://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/General/Encyclopedia-S-78691.html
    Supports: Illustrates trivia as a quiz format built around general knowledge and obscure facts.
  3. Barnes & Noblehttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-complete-unabridged-super-trivia-encyclopedia-fred-l-worth/1000237607
    Supports: Shows the use of trivia for collections of interesting and lesser-known facts.
  4. Studocuhttps://www.studocu.com/row/document/fairview-school/general-knowledge/year-3-encyclopedia-general-knowledge-questions/153578301
    Supports: Contains a plain-language definition of trivia as interesting or obscure facts.