petty

adjective

pet·​ty ˈpe-tē 

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

pettily

ˈpe-tə-lē 

adverb

pettiness

ˈpe-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• illiberal
• insular
• Lilliputian
• little
• narrow
• narrow-minded
• parochial
• picayune
• provincial
• sectarian
• small
• small-minded

Examples of petty in a Sentence

a petty argument about grammar

My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.

Recent Examples on the Web

Image In Davao, Mr. Duterte remains widely popular, remembered for cracking down on problems like drugs, petty crime and violence. —Aie Balagtas See, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025

Where Hub once pursued petty criminals, he’s now charged with rounding up escaped demons by the Devil himself. —Alison Herman, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025

For all the reasons outlined so far, Teslas have come to be targets for petty vandalism — Cybertrucks in particular. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025

The American people deserve better than petty, juvenile stunts in one of the most sacred chambers of government. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pety small, minor, alteration of petit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for petty

• betty
• chetty
• jetty
• petit
• sweaty
• yeti
• confetti
• libretti
• spaghetti
• spermaceti

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

pettily

ˈpet-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

pettiness

ˈpet-ē-nəs 

noun

Etymology

Middle English pety "small, minor," an altered form of petit (same meaning), from early French petit "small"

Legal Definition

petty

adjective

pet·​ty ˈpe-tē 

: relatively minor in degree

a petty offense punishable by not more than six months in prison

compare grand

Biographical Definition

Petty

biographical name

Pet·​ty ˈpe-tē 

Sir William 1623–1687 English political economist