Standard Lemma guide

petty

adj · name · noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpɛt.i/
  • General-American: /ˈpɛt.i/
  • General-American: [ˈphɛɾ.i]
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˈpet.i/
  • homophone: Petty
  • homophone: pedi (GA)
  • rhymes with -ɛti
  • US: /ˈpɛti/
  • US: [ˈpɛɾi]
  • homophone: petty
  • CMU ARPABET: P EH1 T IY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having little or no importance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, often

Examples

  • a petty fault petty squabbles

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: base, contemptible, floccinaucinihilipilificatious, foolish, for the birds, futile, frivolous, idle, ignorable, immaterial, inconsequential, inconsiderable, indifferent, insignificant, like a fart in a windstorm, meager, mean, minor, miserable, negligible, nothingburger, nondescript, null, paltry, petty, picayune, picayunish, piddling, piddly, pissant, pissass, piteous, pitiful, pointless, silly, simple, slight, ticky-tacky, tin-pot, trifling, trivial, two-bit, unimportant, unweighty, vain, worthless, wretched

Antonyms: big, central, consequential, critical, crucial, epochful, essential, extraordinary, fateful, fatefraught, fatesome, heavy, pivotal, high on the totem pole, historic, innegligible, key, life-or-death, meaningful, necessary, noted, noticeable, observable, outstanding, paramount, pertinent, relevant, remarkable, salient, significant, unignorable, valuable, vital, weighty

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; begrudging, selfish, small-minded; also, preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, often

Examples

  • Such literature may well be anathema to those who are too docile and petty for their own good.
  • That corporation is only slightly pettier than they are greedy, and they are overdue to reap the consequences.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: grudgeful, grudging

Antonyms: broad-minded

3

adj

Meaning 3

Inclined to cause frustration or annoyance to others out of spite over minor grievances; extremely vindictive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal, often

Examples

  • My cousin is so petty—I forgot his birthday and he's been making snarky comments all week.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: avengeful, pluckcrow, revengeful, vengeable, vengeful, vengesome, vindical, vindictive, wreakful

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of or relating to the lowest grade or level of school; junior, primary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Little or small in size.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: obsolete except in set phrases

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compact, fun size, fun-sized, ickle, insignificant, lit'l, little, low, modest, mini, petty, pint-sized, pocket-size, slim, slight, small, small-scale, undersized, wee, wurly

Antonyms: ample, big, exceeding, cosmic, bodacious, broad, commodious, considerable, expansive, good-sized, full, generous, giant, grand, great, hefty, hench, immense, jumbo, larger than life, largifical, leviathan, liberal, long, massive, mega-, overlarge, outsized, oversize, oversized, prodigious, roomy, rotund, sizeable, spacious, stonking, substantial, tall, vast, voluminous, wide, astronomic, behemothic, big fat, boxcar, Brobdingnagian, bulky, colossal, cyclopean, Daniel Lambertish, elephantine, elephantic, enormous, gargantuan, giantesque, gigantesque, gigantic, gigantuan (colloquial, nonstandard)), ginormous, great big, honkin', huge, hulking, humongous, hunormous, immane, mahoosive, mammoth, mastodonic, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, pantagruelian, pyramidal, Pythonic, stupendous, super-, supersized, titanic, tremendous, whopping, yuge

6

adj

Meaning 6

Secondary in importance or rank; minor, subordinate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: obsolete except in set phrases

Examples

  • petty cash petty officer

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: grand, high

7

name

Meaning 7

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

An outbuilding used as a lavatory; an outhouse, a privy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dialectal, euphemistic, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: backhouse, backside, bog, boggard, boghouse, carsey, chamber foreign, common house, commons, Cousin John, craphouse, danna, draught, draught-house, dunnekin, dunny, earth closet, foreign, gang, gingerbread office, gong, gonghouse, House of Commons, house of ease, house of easement, house of office, issue, jacques, jakes, jakeshouse, johnny house, karzy, khazi, kocay, little house, long drop, longhouse, necessary, necessary house, necessary place, necessary vault, neddy, netty, outhouse, passage house, petty, petty-house, privy, privy house, purging place, retreat, shield, shithouse, shouse, siege, siegehouse, thunderbox, usual offices, vault, wardrobe, withdraught

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A class or school for young schoolboys.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: petty form, ABC, petty school

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A little schoolboy, either in grade or size.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: also, figuratively, in-plural, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

contemptibly narrow in outlook

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • petty little comments
  • disgusted with their small-minded pettiness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: small-minded

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

(informal) small and of little importance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a fiddling sum of money
  • a footling gesture
  • our worries are lilliputian compared with those of countries that are at war
  • a little (or small) matter
  • a dispute over niggling details
  • limited to petty enterprises
  • piffling efforts
  • giving a police officer a free meal may be against the law, but it seems to be a picayune infraction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fiddling, footling, lilliputian, little, niggling, piddling, piffling, picayune, trivial

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: petit larceny, petty larceny

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: larceny, theft, thievery, thieving, stealing

History

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English peti, pety (“little, small; minor”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman petit, Middle French petit, and Old French peti, petit, pitet (“young; little, small; inferior; insignificant”) (modern French petit), ultimately of imitative origin. It is no longer thought that the word is derived from Celtic. Doublet of petit and petite. The noun is derived from the adjective.

Across languages

Translations

71 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: маловажен (malovažen) — having little or no importance
  • Danish: ubetydelig — having little or no importance
  • Danish: betydningsløs — having little or no importance
  • Danish: uviktig — having little or no importance
  • Eastern Mari: изи (izi) — having little or no importance
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ubetydelig — having little or no importance
  • Norwegian Bokmål: betydningsløs — having little or no importance
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uviktig — having little or no importance
  • Romanian: nesemnificativ — having little or no importance
  • Spanish: quinqui — having little or no importance
  • Spanish: merchero — having little or no importance
  • Spanish: de pitiminí — having little or no importance
  • Spanish: nimio — having little or no importance
  • Swedish: obetydlig — having little or no importance
  • Swedish: försumbar — having little or no importance
  • Swedish: futtig — having little or no importance
  • Armenian: մանր (manr) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Bulgarian: дребнав (drebnav) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Bulgarian: дребен (dreben) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Bulgarian: незначителен (neznačitelen) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Czech: drobný — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Czech: malicherný — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Danish: smålig — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Dutch: kleinzielig — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Estonian: väiklane — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • French: petit — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • French: insignifiant — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • French: mesquin — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • German: gering — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • German: geringfügig — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • German: klein — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • German: kleinlich — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • German: unbedeutend — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • German: unwichtig — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Greek: ασήμαντος (asímantos) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Greek: μηδαμινός (midaminós) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Greek: μικρός (mikrós) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Hungarian: piti — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Hungarian: bagatell — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Hungarian: jelentéktelen — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Italian: meschino — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Italian: gretto — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Japanese: 微小な (bishō na) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Japanese: 凡庸な (bon'yō na) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Japanese: 小さい (chīsai) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Japanese: 狭量 (kyōryō) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Latin: pusillus — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Latin: minutus — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Macedonian: ситен (siten) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Macedonian: мал (mal) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Norwegian Bokmål: smålig — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Norwegian Bokmål: småskåren — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Polish: błahy — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Polish: drobny — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Polish: małostkowy — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Polish: nieistotny — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Portuguese: fútil — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Portuguese: insignificante — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Portuguese: pequeno — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Portuguese: mesquinho — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Romanian: mărunt — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Romanian: meschin — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Russian: пустячный (pustjačnyj) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Russian: ме́лкий (mélkij) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Russian: мелочный (meločnyj) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Swedish: småaktig — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Swedish: småsint — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Ukrainian: мали́й (malýj) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Ukrainian: дріб'язко́вий (dribʺjazkóvyj) — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Welsh: pitw — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
  • Welsh: mân — of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns
Real reading context

petty in complete knowledge articles

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