First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
petty
adjective pet·ty \ˈpe-tē\
: not very important or serious
: relating to things that are not very important or serious
: committing crimes that are not very serious
pet·ti·erpet·ti·est
Full Definition of PETTY
1
: having secondary rank or importance : minor, subordinate
2
: having little or no importance or significance
3
: marked by or reflective of narrow interests and sympathies : small-minded
— pet·ti·ly \ˈpe-tə-lē\ adverb
— pet·ti·ness \ˈpe-tē-nəs\ noun
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Origin of PETTY
Middle English pety small, minor, alteration of petit
Related to PETTY
- Synonyms
- illiberal, insular, Lilliputian, little, narrow-minded, parochial, narrow, picayune, provincial, sectarian, small, small-minded
- Antonyms
- broad-minded, catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal, open, open-minded, receptive, tolerant
Petty
biographical name Pet·ty \ˈpe-tē\
Definition of PETTY
Sir William 1623–1687 Eng. polit. econ.
PETTINESS Defined for Kids
petty
adjective pet·ty \ˈpe-tē\
pet·ti·erpet·ti·est
Definition of PETTY for Kids
1
: small and of no importance <Don't worry about the petty details.>
2
: showing or having a mean narrow-minded attitude
— pet·ti·ness \ˈpe-tē-nəs\ noun
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