Trivia Questions and Answers

Start trying out trivia questions now! Our selection of fun trivia questions are suitable for viewers of all ages. We provide trivia for kids as well as adults. Select the category that interests you the most and see how much you really know.

What Is Trivia?

The word trivia has its roots in Latin and in education, pertaining to the foundational units of study in traditional education (logic, rhetoric, and grammar). You can read the Wikipedia definition of trivia in more detail, however, if that's your thing. One thing to note is that trivia is actually the plural version of the word trivium.

What We Mean By Trivia

Our modern usage of trivia really comes from the 1920's when people started to use it to refer to small facts or bits of information. Passing trivia questions and answers between peers slowly became commonplace, and by the 1960's trivia contests began to form that tested general knowledge. Today, most trivia games and apps test users on their knowledge of often obscure facts and unscientific topics such as TV, movies, and music. Though, the studious still very much enjoy trivia in the categories of science, history, and math.

A Brief History of Trivia

The word "trivia" comes from Latin roots, as we know. However, the real use of the word starts with the introduction of the book in 1902, Trivialities: Bits of Information of Little Consequence, by Logan Pearsall. In this book, the British author uses the term trivia to refer to bits of information -- a much more familiar use of the word than its more foundational roots. In literature, other popular books would be introduced, such as Ed Goodgold's and Dan Carlinsky's book, Trivia.

In the 1950's, America saw the introduction of trivia-based television shows such as The $64,000 Question and Twenty-One. This led to the introduction of more well-known game shows, like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, in which contestants are asked a series of progressively challenging trivia questions with four multiple-choice answers. Other popular quiz shows exist, such as Family Feud and The Price is Right, however, these are not in the standard trivia question and answer format.

In 1979, the very popular board game, Trivial Pursuit, was invented and would later be introduced to the public in 1982. Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, the inventors, supposedly developed the idea for the trivia game whilest drinking beers and playing Scrabble. The original version of the game was introduced with 6,000 trivia questions written on just 1,000 cards, costing the public just 10 British pounds (costing 42 to produce!). Since its introduction, Trivial Pursuit has sold over 100 million copies in 26 countries -- just goes to show you how popular trivia really is!

In modern times, trivia questions have moved largely online in the form of awesome trivia websites and mobile apps. These electronics versions of the age of brain teasing games are a great way to try out trivia with your friends.