Definitions for petty
ˈpɛt ipet·ty

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. petit larceny, petty larceny, petty(adj)

   larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale)

2. junior-grade, lower-ranking, lowly, petty(a), secondary, subaltern(adj)

   inferior in rank or status

   "the junior faculty"; "a lowly corporal"; "petty officialdom"; "a subordinate functionary"

3. fiddling, footling, lilliputian, little, niggling, piddling, piffling, petty, picayune, trivial(adj)

   (informal) small and of little importance

   "a fiddling sum of money"; "a footling gesture"; "our worries are lilliputian compared with those of countries that are at war"; "a little (or small) matter"; "a dispute over niggling details"; "limited to petty enterprises"; "piffling efforts"; "giving a police officer a free meal may be against the law, but it seems to be a picayune infraction"

4. petty, small-minded(adj)

   contemptibly narrow in outlook

   "petty little comments"; "disgusted with their small-minded pettiness"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. petty(Adjective)

   (obsolete except in set phrases) little, small, secondary in rank or importance

   Etymology: From petit, English since the late 14th century.

2. petty(Adjective)

   insignificant, trifling, or inconsiderable

   a petty fault

   Etymology: From petit, English since the late 14th century.

3. petty(Adjective)

   narrow-minded, small-minded

   Etymology: From petit, English since the late 14th century.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Petty

   little; trifling; inconsiderable; also, inferior; subordinate; as, a petty fault; a petty prince

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Petty

   Petty is an unincorporated community in Lamar County, Texas, United States. The Chisum Independent School District serves area students.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Petty

   pet′i, adj. small: of less importance: lower in rank, power, &c.: inconsiderable, insignificant: contemptible.—adv. Pett′ily.—n. Pett′iness.—Petty cash, small sums of money received or paid; Petty larceny (see Larceny); Petty officer, a naval officer with rank corresponding to a non-commissioned officer in the army. [O. Fr. petit.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. petty

   Petty (adj) not important or no value.

   Petty is a nonsense discussion.

   Submitted by pinkss5 on October 21, 2015  

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Petty

   Provincial for an out-house, because its accommodation is restricted to one person; also called a “Privy,” short for private.

How to pronounce petty?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say petty in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of petty in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of petty in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of petty in a Sentence

1. Alexis Charles Henri Clrel de Tocqueville:

   Nothing is quite so wretchedly corrupt as an aristocracy which has lost its power but kept its wealth and which still has endless leisure to devote to nothing but banal enjoyments. All its great thoughts and passionate energy are things of the past, and nothing but a host of petty, gnawing vices now cling to it like worms to a corpse.

2. William Feather:

   The petty economies of the rich are just as amazing as the silly extravagances of the poor.

3. James Clark:

   This is an hour for action, this is an hour where we must put all of our petty differences aside for our future, which is our children.

4. Hamza Lutuli:

   I think it would be wise for the government to allocate us with new land to go on with cattle-keeping instead of doing petty trade, something I am not used to.

5. Mitch McConnell:

   We will pledge to rise above petty factionalism and do justice for our institutions, for our states, and for the nation.

Images & Illustrations of petty

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