pettifogger

/ (ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡə) /


noun
  1. a lawyer of inferior status who conducts unimportant cases, esp one who is unscrupulous or resorts to trickery

  2. any person who quibbles or fusses over details

Origin of pettifogger

1
C16: from petty + fogger, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Fugger, name of a family (C15–16) of German financiers

Derived forms of pettifogger

  • pettifoggery, noun

Words Nearby pettifogger

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How to use pettifogger in a sentence