as in diminutive
having a small and thin body
—usually used to describe a woman or girl
She's petite and has short black hair. a petite young woman
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petite
The petite fruits have an edible rind that’s sweeter than the flesh itself.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Available in petite, regular, and tall lengths, the bottoms feature a shapewear-level compression waistband for a flattering and comfortable look.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
An adjacent dining area connects to the petite kitchen, which has custom cabinetry, granite countertops, high-end appliances, and a breakfast bar.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2026
Special menus with petite, less expensive portions are popping up all over, from large chains like Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory to trendy urban eateries and farm-to-fork dining rooms.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petite
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Available in petite, regular, and tall lengths, the bottoms feature a shapewear-level compression waistband for a flattering and comfortable look.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
An adjacent dining area connects to the petite kitchen, which has custom cabinetry, granite countertops, high-end appliances, and a breakfast bar.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2026
Special menus with petite, less expensive portions are popping up all over, from large chains like Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory to trendy urban eateries and farm-to-fork dining rooms.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petite
Adjective
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Each of those films also features a plucky, diminutive hero who succeeds in the face of naysayers—an easy figure for any kid watching to root for.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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These ripe berries are alluringly red, uniformly speckled with dry, diminutive yellow seeds.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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However, a lot of big houses have been built on smallish lots.—
Richard Dahlberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Texas has tightened up its defense at the rim against a smallish NC State squad that likes to drive to the cup.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There are also the mini dance parties that happen just before game tip-offs, and former UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos-Field taught the team choreography in 2024.—
Haley Sawyer,
Daily News,
28 Mar. 2026
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All this is packaged in a mini flyer that can fit in your palm, and can fold down for transport in a backpack or its own camo bag.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Olah is a boyish, elfin prodigy who, at nineteen, met Amodei on his first visit to the Bay Area.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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That effort also brought back the rare frosted elfin butterfly for the first time in decades.—
Diana Stralberg,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Note, however, that dwarf butterfly bushes, such as the Lo & Behold series, grow slowly and require little or no pruning; do not cut them back to ground level but only shape them gently as needed.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Mar. 2026
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Fill the container with potting soil for acid-loving plants and choose a dwarf variety rhododendron like: Rhododendron 'Peter J. Mezzit': A dwarf evergreen rhododendron ideal for containers.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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On board is a micro rover built by ispace called Tenacious as well as several commercial payloads.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
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The cushiony cream is packed with Blue Hyaluronic Acid, a micro-sized form of HA that absorbs quickly and delivers long-lasting hydration.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The plot pivots on tiny gestures involving matters of life and death.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Each impact steals a tiny bit of the spacecraft’s speed, pushing it a smidgen closer to Earth.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of the district's smallest elementary schools now serve only a couple of hundred students, limiting available resources.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Higher bond yields ripple through all kinds of credit markets, making everything from mortgages to small-business loans more expensive.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petite. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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