petty

adjective

pet·​ty ˈpe-tē 

pettier; pettiest

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

pettily

ˈpe-tə-lē 

adverb

pettiness

ˈpe-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of petty

• small
• parochial
• narrow
• little

Examples of petty in a Sentence

a petty argument about grammar

My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.

Recent Examples on the Web

For movies, weed existed in its own sort of ecosystem as a world of petty rebellion and elastic logic, where characters could spiral into genuine obstacles without necessarily becoming irredeemable people. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026

There are some pretty gross, petty and violent acts of revenge. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026

What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend? —Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026

The target of our petty president’s latest bashing is Pope Leo XIV, the first American leader of the Catholic Church, who seems to be a guy with Midwestern common sense. —Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pety small, minor, alteration of petit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing petty

• chief petty officer
• master chief petty officer
• master chief petty officer of the coast guard
• master chief petty officer of the navy
• petty bourgeois
• petty bourgeoisie
• petty cash
• petty larceny
• petty officer
• petty officer first class
• petty officer second class
• petty officer third class
• petty theft
• senior chief petty officer

Rhymes for petty

• betty
• chetty
• jetty
• petit
• sweaty
• yeti
• confetti
• libretti
• spaghetti
• spermaceti

Kids Definition

petty

adjective

pet·​ty ˈpet-ē 

pettier; pettiest

1

: lesser in rank or importance : minor

a petty prince

2

: having little or no importance or meaning

petty details

3

: having or displaying a mean narrow-minded attitude : small-minded

pettily

ˈpet-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

pettiness

ˈpet-ē-nəs 

noun

Etymology

Middle English pety "small, minor," an altered form of petit (same meaning), from early French petit "small"

Legal Definition

petty

adjective

pet·​ty ˈpe-tē 

: relatively minor in degree

a petty offense punishable by not more than six months in prison

compare grand

Biographical Definition

Petty

biographical name

Pet·​ty ˈpe-tē 

Sir William 1623–1687 English political economist