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Added 9 October 2026

petty

/ˈpɛt.i/ noun

In Latin: pusillus, minutus Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about petty at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale).

adjective

Inferior in rank or status.
the junior faculty
(informal) small and of little importance.
a fiddling sum of money
Contemptibly narrow in outlook.
petty little comments

Origin

The adjective is derived from Middle English peti, pety (“little, small; minor”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman petit, Middle French petit, and Old French peti, petit, pitet (“young; little, small; inferior; insignificant”) (modern French petit), ultimately of imitative origin. It is no longer thought that the word is derived from Celtic. Doublet of petit and petite. The noun is derived from the adjective.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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