pettiness
[ pet-ee-nis ]
/ ˈpɛt i nɪs /
noun
the quality or condition of being of little, lesser, or no importance, consequence, or merit; insignificance: The economic cost of these wildfires pales into pettiness when compared to the real victims—the wildlife and the natural landscape.The film is a comedy about the boredom, pettiness, and general strangeness of working in an office, as the protagonists spend their days plotting a way out of their dull and meaningless jobs.
the quality or condition of having or expressing limited ideas, interests, etc.; narrow-mindedness:The novel is set against a background of small-town deceit and pettiness.
the quality or condition of being unkind, stingy, or ungenerous, especially in small or trifling things; meanspiritedness:Their pettiness is perhaps best demonstrated by the threatened removal of an assortment of services provided to residents—things like fresh fruit, free coffee, and a monthly outing.
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Words nearby pettiness
petticoat insulator, petticoat narcissus, pettifog, pettifogger, pettifogging, pettiness, petting, petting zoo, pettipants, pettish, pettiskirt
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020