Nearby Words
iadjective, -ti·er, -ti·est.
1.
of little or no importance or consequence: petty grievances.
2.
of lesser or secondary importance, merit, etc.; minor: petty considerations.
3.
having or showing narrow ideas, interests, etc.: petty minds.
4.
mean or ungenerous in small or trifling things: a petty person.
5.
EXPANDshowing or caused by meanness of spirit: a petty revenge.
6.
COLLAPSEof secondary rank, especially in relation to others of the same class or kind: petty states; a petty tyrant.
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English peti(t) small, minor < Old French petit < Gallo-Romance *pittīttus, of expressive orig.
1325–75; Middle English peti(t) small, minor < Old French petit < Gallo-Romance *pittīttus, of expressive orig.
Related forms
pet·ti·ly, adverb
pet·ti·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. nugatory, negligible, inconsiderable, slight. 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. 3. small. 4. stingy, miserly.
1. nugatory, negligible, inconsiderable, slight. 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. 3. small. 4. stingy, miserly.
Antonyms
1. important. 4. generous.
1. important. 4. generous.
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Petty
is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
Example Sentences
- Sometimes a conflict gets bogged down in petty details.
- It must be a petty annoyance because it is not annoying enough to make me do anything about it.
- Science cannot be stopped by petty politics and arbitrary geographical boundaries.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
1.
Richard, born 1937, U.S. racing-car driver.
2.
William, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, 1st Marquis of Lansdowne. Lansdowne, 1st Marquis of.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To petty
Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
petty
1393, "small," from O.Fr. petit "small" (see petit). In Eng., not originally disparaging (cf. petty cash, 1834, petty officer, 1577). Meaning "of small importance" is recorded from 1523; that of "small-minded" is from 1581. An old name for "Northern Lights" was petty dancers.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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