petite

American  

[puh-teet] / pəˈtit /

adjective

1. relating to or being a woman who is short and has a small, trim figure; diminutive: The sash accentuates her petite waist.

   She is a petite brunette.

   The sash accentuates her petite waist.

2. small; little.

   I usually buy frozen petite peas.

   Traveling by air with your petite pooch or kitty has never been easier!

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noun

1. a category of clothing sized for women or girls of less than average height.

2. a garment in such a size.

   The petites are on that rack.

3. a woman or girl who wears clothing of such a size.

petite British  

/ pəˈtiːt /

adjective

1. (of a woman) small, delicate, and dainty

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Other Word Forms

• petiteness noun

Etymology

Origin of petite

First recorded in 1760–70; from French; feminine of petit

Explanation

If something is petite, it's tiny. Your mom might be so petite that she needs to sit on a telephone book when she drives the car. The adjective petite is used to describe a small woman. When you call someone petite, it's usually meant as a compliment — implying that she is dainty and adorable. Many clothing stores offer petite sizes for women who are short. The word petite is the feminine form of little in French, and sometime in the 1700s it became used frequently in English literature to describe those who are small in stature.

Example Sentences

Skip the petite rounded accent tables and give me a square-edged desk with a built-in power outlet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The privacy policy it puts forth does have the benefit of transparency, but ultimately, it’s just a list of what Avast collects, with only a petite section that lists what it doesn’t collect.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Michelle, petite and pale, has lost about 40 pounds over the past year.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

Kohl’s is trying to undo missteps that included scaling back petite sizes, fine jewelry and private brands in its stores.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Peter had reached a level of success I could only dream about at the time, but I still felt an instant kinship with this bald-headed, brown-skinned, petite, wiry fencing elder.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

• dainty
• diminutive