peccadillo

American  

[pek-uh-dil-oh] / ˌpɛk əˈdɪl oʊ /

noun

plural

peccadilloes, peccadillos

1. a very minor or slight sin or offense; a trifling fault.

   Synonyms:

   indiscretion, faux pas, slip, lapse

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peccadillo British  

/ ˌpɛkəˈdɪləʊ /

noun

1. a petty sin or trifling fault

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Etymology

Origin of peccadillo

1585–95; < Spanish pecadillo, diminutive of pecado sin < Latin peccātum transgression, noun use of neuter of past participle of peccāre to err, offend

Example Sentences

Unfashionably for a modern biographer, Mr. Cobb makes only very brief and glancing reference to these peccadilloes.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Scotland has one peccadillo and that is Cardinal O'Brien," he says.

From BBC

He obviously wants the world to remember and think of him as strong and resolute, and basically a good guy despite his personal peccadilloes.

From Salon

“Those are personal peccadilloes that you may have,” Scorsese incorrectly guesses.

From Los Angeles Times

But it’s also a clever riff on the family sitcom, as the establishment’s proprietor is the patriarch of a decidedly oddball family; most surprisingly, it treats that family with genuine affection, peccadilloes and all.

From New York Times

Related Words

• impropriety
• indiscretion