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
There’s also a marked interest in petite cakes for smaller (or even solo) gatherings.
—
Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 9 Apr. 2026
Instead of seeing a petite workspace as an afterthought, take inspiration from these small laundry room ideas.
—Lindsey Mather, Architectural Digest, 7 Apr. 2026
The following frocks are available in petite sizing options, and have stamps of approval from shoppers with small builds.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 6 Apr. 2026
It’s hyped all sorts of temptations on social media: sourdough focaccia with petite salad, cinnamon raisin sourdough loaves, stromboli, cinnamon rolls, banana crunch bread, scones, quiche, peanut butter toast, candied Jalapeño cheddar bagels, lemon chicken orzo soup and lots more.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petite
Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 9 Apr. 2026
Instead of seeing a petite workspace as an afterthought, take inspiration from these small laundry room ideas.
—Lindsey Mather, Architectural Digest, 7 Apr. 2026
The following frocks are available in petite sizing options, and have stamps of approval from shoppers with small builds.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 6 Apr. 2026
It’s hyped all sorts of temptations on social media: sourdough focaccia with petite salad, cinnamon raisin sourdough loaves, stromboli, cinnamon rolls, banana crunch bread, scones, quiche, peanut butter toast, candied Jalapeño cheddar bagels, lemon chicken orzo soup and lots more.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petite
Adjective
-
There’s depth there and the current roster basically consists of Drake London, diminutive old friend Olamide Zaccheaus and inconsistent field stretcher Jahan Dotson.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Earthy, moody colors cosset wellness-seekers in the treatment rooms, making way for organic cream hues in the diminutive swimming pool.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One of the best-skating prospects in the world, the 5-10, 178-pound Potter is a smallish but talented player who uses his electric speed to put defenders on their heels, create opportunistic chances, get out in transition and jump onto loose pucks.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In general, vegetables should be sliced or cut into smallish pieces and precooked.—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Off the water, Virginia Beach is home to an aquarium, laser tag, indoor skydiving, mini golf, and many more attractions for the entire family to enjoy.—
Kara Williams,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Lightweight and travel-approved with classic and mini sizes available.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
That effort also brought back the rare frosted elfin butterfly for the first time in decades.—
Diana Stralberg,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The semi-dwarf Washington Navel Orange tree is a popular, reliable citrus tree that produces large, sweet, seedless, and easy-to-peel fruit in the winter.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
17 Apr. 2026
-
However, there are plenty of small or dwarf plants that have all the beauty of their taller plant cousins, but come in a compact package that’s perfectly sized for low profile homes with limited garden space.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On board is a micro rover built by ispace called Tenacious as well as several commercial payloads.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
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In other words, on the micro level, the painting was more uniform than previously determined.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Republicans have a tiny four-vote majority in the chamber, and the president’s party historically struggles in midterm balloting.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Lunch is served here too, but during the day most guests prefer to head over to the family’s beach club, Bagno Assunta, which serves classic Italian summer fare, like a solid insalata caprese and spaghetti alle arselle (tiny local clams).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ceija Stojka’s small paintings at the Drawing Center swarm with such harrowing incident that viewers may not spot the mystery in the bottom right corner of many of her canvases.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Pistons are small favorites on the road for Game 3.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petite. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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