as in diminutive
having a small and thin body
—usually used to describe a woman or girl
She's petite and has short black hair. a petite young woman
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petite
Because of its petite imprint, the 24-room Casa Cañita naturally gives off bed-and-breakfast vibes, thanks to a focus on home-away-from-home feels and a minimal amount of common spaces.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
Back at the shoot, Saar is wearing one of these leather necklaces, paired with a Gucci kaftan that makes her petite frame look 20 feet tall.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
There's also a petite variety for balconies and small spaces.
—Ann Hinga Klein, Martha Stewart, 7 May 2026
Plants reach up to 5 feet and thrive in full sun.
Another of Vogt's favorites: Heuchera richardsonii, a native alum root, or coral bells, that sends up shoots with petite greenish blooms in late spring.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for petite
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
Back at the shoot, Saar is wearing one of these leather necklaces, paired with a Gucci kaftan that makes her petite frame look 20 feet tall.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
There's also a petite variety for balconies and small spaces.
—Ann Hinga Klein, Martha Stewart, 7 May 2026
Plants reach up to 5 feet and thrive in full sun.
Another of Vogt's favorites: Heuchera richardsonii, a native alum root, or coral bells, that sends up shoots with petite greenish blooms in late spring.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for petite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petite
Adjective
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But after three games in the first round of the playoffs, with the Knicks down to the Atlanta Hawks, 2–1, Brown put Towns with the ball at the three-point line, and the diminutive Brunson darted toward the center.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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In New York, Kathy Butterly’s diminutive pieces sold out at James Cohan at $45,000 each.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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By 1900, the Irish-speaking areas were a ragged patchwork of smallish standalone zones, clinging to the island’s western and southern shores.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 May 2026
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So moving Stankoven to the middle in training camp certainly raised the eyebrows of many, especially considering Carolina has several other smallish players among its forward corps.—
Cory Lavalette,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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The collection, available May 7-10 at participating Krispy Kreme shops nationwide, mixes two new mini doughnuts with two fan favorites, according to the chain.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Jo and Naomi McPherson were playing out of mini amps.—
Katie Gavin,
Time,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Olah is a boyish, elfin prodigy who, at nineteen, met Amodei on his first visit to the Bay Area.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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That effort also brought back the rare frosted elfin butterfly for the first time in decades.—
Diana Stralberg,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Semi-dwarf varieties grow to between 3 and 8 feet tall, while giant sunflowers grow at least 8 feet tall.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
11 May 2026
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French marigolds offer excellent pest protection, available in both dwarf and full sizes to suit any garden space.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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My mother-in-law uses the Boacay Soft and Warm Travel Blanket because the ultra-soft, micro-plush fabric keeps her warm in chilly airplane cabins without irritating her skin.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
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Since their November 2017 engagement, Meghan’s made one notable change to the piece, replacing the original gold band with a thin micro-pavé band.—
Ilana Frost,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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One new study looked at how the coloring of microplastics – the tiny bits of plastics found everywhere from our rivers to our brains – may actually be helping increase temperatures.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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The lab didn't take DNA samples from each fish, which can be done by clipping off a tiny bit of one fin.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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August 23 – September 22 One small fix today could make everything run better.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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These mad scientists then trained a small flock of sheep to recognize four celebrities—Emma Watson, Barack Obama, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce—from their pictures on the internet.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petite. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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