petty

¹

[pet-ee]

adjective

pettier, pettiest 

1. of little or no importance or consequence.

   petty grievances.

   Synonyms: slight, inconsiderable, negligible, nugatory
   Antonyms: important

2. of lesser or secondary importance, merit, etc.; minor.

   petty considerations.

3. having or showing narrow ideas, interests, etc..

   petty minds.

   Synonyms: small

4. mean or ungenerous in small or trifling things.

   a petty person.

   Synonyms: miserly, stingy
   Antonyms: generous

5. showing or caused by meanness of spirit.

   a petty revenge.

6. of secondary rank, especially in relation to others of the same class or kind.

   petty states; a petty tyrant.

Petty

²

[pet-ee]

noun

1. Richard, born 1937, U.S. racing-car driver.

2. William, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, 1st Marquis of Lansdowne. William Petty Fitzmaurice Lansdowne.

petty

/ ˈpɛtɪ /

adjective

1. trivial; trifling; inessential

   petty details

2. of a narrow-minded, mean, or small-natured disposition or character

   petty spite

3. minor or subordinate in rank

   petty officialdom

4. law of lesser importance

Other Word Forms

• pettily adverb
• pettiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of petty¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English peti(t) “small, minor,” from Old French petit, from unattested Gallo-Romance pittīttus, of expressive origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of petty¹

C14: from Old French _petit

Synonym Study

Petty, paltry, trifling, trivial apply to something that is so insignificant as to be almost unworthy of notice. Petty implies contemptible insignificance and littleness, inferiority and small worth: petty quarrels. Paltry is applied to something that is beneath one's notice, even despicable: a paltry amount. Something that is trifling is so unimportant and inconsiderable as to be practically negligible: a trifling error. Something that is trivial is slight, insignificant, and even in incongruous contrast to something that is significant or important: a trivial remark; a trivial task.

Example Sentences

A petty criminal from Birmingham, by then in his 80s, claimed he and two others had stolen the silverware and melted it down to make fake half-crown coins.

From BBC

“If they wanted to criticize my job, go ahead and do that, but clearly they can’t, they just pick something petty like that,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

He also considered making Jack Sheppard, a petty thief who had won the public's affection, one of the main characters.

From BBC

Whether it’s the National Guard or the Highway Patrol, criminals, both petty and violent, tend to avoid them.

From Los Angeles Times

But Gonzalez said he told ICE hiring officials that he had a 10-year-old felony on his record for petty theft and he was told he wouldn’t qualify for the position.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• frivolous 
• lesser 
• minor 
• narrow-minded