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pe·tite | \ pə-ˈtēt 
\
\Definition of petite
(Entry 1 of 2)
: having a small trim figure
—usually used of a woman
petite
nounDefinition of petite (Entry 2 of 2)
: a clothing size for short women
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Examples of petite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective This stylish piece can take you through the seasons and comes in four colors in both regular and petite sizing.
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Arielle Tschinkel, USA TODAY, "Nordstrom is having a huge sale on some of its top-rated brands ahead of the Anniversary Sale," 29 July 2020 Many automakers portray their petite crossovers as urban warriors, mainly due to their smaller size.
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cleveland, "The 2020 Buick Encore GX is bigger, badder follow-up to the Encore SUV (review)," 11 July 2020 Available in petite and standard sizes, this curve-hugging vintage skirt can be dressed down with a cool T-shirt or up with a blouse.
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Krystin Arneson, CNN Underscored, "Nordstrom’s clearance items are up to 70% off right now," 17 June 2020 Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this relatively petite city punches above its weight in cultural and culinary bounty.
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Sara Clemence, Travel + Leisure, "The Top 15 Cities in the United States," 8 July 2020 The petite actress learned early how undervalued Black women are.
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Shamika Sanders, Essence, "The Eating Disorder. The Sexual Abuse. How Thandie Newton Survived Hollywood," 7 July 2020 In the past, Salguero has offered a Salvadoran enchilada with mushroom ceviche ($11), a petite bite served on a fried tortilla that looks more like a crispy Mexican tostada than that other famous, saucy dish.
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Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, "Wood-fired pupusas on an ample, friendly patio at Oakland’s Popoca," 3 July 2020 Scientists previously attributed these 1 to 3-inch prints to petite crocodylomorphs about the size of housecats that lived during the Jurassic Period, about 200 million years ago.
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Popular Science, "Crocodiles’ ancient ancestors may have walked on two legs," 16 June 2020 Older Rhode Islanders remember enjoying more petite clam cakes sold 30 miles to the north at Warwick’s Rocky Point Amusement Park.
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Kat Craddock, Saveur, "Rhode Island Clamcakes—Yes, Crisp Clam Doughnuts—Are the Perfect Taste of Summer," 10 June 2016 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun With petite, plus, tall and maternity collections, Infinitely Loft embraces a range of playful and professional styles for subscribers of all sizes.
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Elizabeth Wolfe, NBC News, "Clothing subscription boxes and sustainability: What to know," 11 May 2020 Bows are a signature detail of Dior’s couture, created for the neckline, hip or toe of a shoe by the petites mains, or tiny hands, of the couture ateliers.
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Nazanin Lankarani, New York Times, "The Intersection of Haute Couture and Watchmaking," 8 Mar. 2020 Featuring options for men and women, as well as maternity, plus-sized and petites, clients can receive Fixes automatically or schedule them on-demand, with a variety of styles to choose from for all budgets — plus free shipping and returns.
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NBC News, "17 best subscription boxes everyone on your list will love," 18 Dec. 2018 On one end of the ring was Riho - a petite, 5-foot-2-inch Japanese wrestler weighing 98 pounds.
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Samantha Schmidt, chicagotribune.com, "In a professional wrestling ring, a transgender woman faces a roaring crowd," 4 Oct. 2019 At one time, there were two matching chairs -- one petite and one normal-sized.
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Brenda Yenke, cleveland.com, "Collecting lunar memorabilia: Yenke Peddler antiques," 15 Aug. 2019 Sketches are delivered, petites mains are stitching about, and Lagerfeld is watching over it all with a discerning eye, signing off on each couture creation.
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Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Watch the Trailer for 7 Days Out, the New Netflix Series That Goes Inside a Chanel Couture Show and Other Landmark Events," 11 Dec. 2018 His previous base in Paris was a petite, 485-square-foot one-bedroom across the street from the café La Palette in Saint-Germain- des-Prés.
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Ian Phillips, ELLE Decor, "Seventh Heaven," 1 Aug. 2012 Here, Dior shared a few behind-the-scenes photos of the making of the dress exclusively with Vogue, plus a video of the petites mains at work in the atelier.
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Emily Farra, Vogue, "When Beige Isn’t Boring: The Story Behind Dior’s Toile de Jouy Couture Gown," 6 July 2018
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'petite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for petite
petite
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of petite
: having a small and thin body
See the full definition for petite in the English Language Learners Dictionary
petite
adjectivepe·tite | \ pə-ˈtēt \
\Kids Definition of petite
: having a small trim figure
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Time Traveler for petite
The first known use of petite was in 1784
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