pettier; pettiest
1
: having secondary rank or importance : minor, subordinate
2
: having little or no importance or significance
3
: marked by or reflective of narrow interests and sympathies : small-minded
Synonyms
Examples of petty in a Sentence
a petty argument about grammar
My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.
Recent Examples on the Web
My understanding has always been that the relic trade is loosely tolerated by the powers that be (many of whom have some pretty choice relics of their own), because one of the sneakiest ways authoritarian societies thrive is by letting their subjects get away with petty rebellions.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
As our profile lays out, the record reveals Billy Wagner as a blustery, bigger-than-life figure who engaged in petty crime and coached his family to do the same.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2024
As to those petty criminals roaming the city during the holidays, Grattan has a few strategies.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Critics often say prosecutors like Gascón and Price — who often declined to file low-level misdemeanors and sought to keep most defendants out of jail before trial — can cause surges in petty crimes such as shoplifting and car burglaries.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English pety small, minor, alteration of petit
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of petty was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing petty
- chief petty officer
- master chief petty officer
- master chief petty officer of the coast guard
- master chief petty officer of the navy
- petty bourgeois
- petty bourgeoisie
- petty cash
- petty larceny
- petty officer
- petty officer first class
- petty officer second class
- petty officer third class
- petty theft
- senior chief petty officer
Dictionary Entries Near petty
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petty. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
petty
adjective
pet·ty
ˈpet-ē
pettier; pettiest
1
: lesser in rank or importance : minor
a petty prince
2
: having little or no importance or meaning
petty details
3
: having or displaying a mean narrow-minded attitude : small-minded
Etymology
Middle English pety "small, minor," an altered form of petit (same meaning), from early French petit "small"
Legal Definition
Biographical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on petty
Nglish: Translation of petty for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of petty for Arabic Speakers
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