English Explanatory Dictionary

petty

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Having little or no importance.
  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.
  3. Inclined to cause frustration or annoyance to others out of spite over minor grievances; extremely vindictive.
  4. Of or relating to the lowest grade or level of school; junior, primary.
  5. Little or small in size.
  6. Secondary in importance or rank; minor, subordinate.
noun
  1. An outbuilding used as a lavatory; an outhouse, a privy.
  2. A class or school for young schoolboys.
  3. A little schoolboy, either in grade or size.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɛt.i/ [ˈpʰɛɾ.i] En-us-petty.ogg /ˈpet.i/ /ˈpɛti/ [ˈpɛɾi]

Word forms

petty pettier more petty pettiest most petty petties Pettys

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.

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 grudgeful grudging avengeful pluckcrow revengeful vengeable vengeful vengesome vindical vindictive wreakful compact fun size

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 broad-minded ample 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

Related words

quibble

Derived words

petticoat petties pettifog pettifogger pettifoggery pettily pettiness pettitoes petty apartheid petty average petty bag petty bourgeoisie petty cash pettychaps petty crime petty criminal Petty France petty-house petty jury petty king petty knife petty larceny petty morel petty officer petty session petty spurge petty theft petty treason pettywhin petty whin unpetty
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