Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   petty

   /ˈpɛti/

   adjective

   • 1. of little importance; trivial: "both groups are known to fight over petty issues" Similar trivialtriflingminorsmallslightunimportantinsignificantinessentialinconsequentialinconsiderablenegligiblepaltryfootlingfiddlingnigglingpettifoggingnugatoryof little accountinformal:pifflingpiddlingpenny-antetwopenny-halfpennynickel-and-dimepicayunevulgar slang:chickenshitOpposite importantseriousmajor
   • ▪ unduly concerned with trivial matters, especially in a small-minded or spiteful way: "she thought readers were being petty in writing to complain about blocked paths" Similar small-mindednarrow-mindedmeanungenerousgrudgingshabbyspitefulOpposite magnanimousgenerous
   • 2. of secondary or lesser importance, rank, or scale; minor: "a petty official"
   • ▪ (of a crime) of lesser importance: "petty theft"

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘small in size’): from a phonetic spelling of the pronunciation of French petit ‘small’. Compare with petit.

   Derivatives

   • 1. pettily adverb

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • P

     3

   • E

     1

   • T

     1

   • T

     1

   • Y

     4

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishPETTY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Petty means not important or worth attention, or complaining too much about small matters. Learn how to use this adjective in different contexts and see synonyms and translations.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › pettyPetty Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › petty

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning, synonyms, examples, and history of the adjective petty, which means having secondary rank or importance, or marked by narrow interests and sympathies. Find out how to use petty in a sentence and see related phrases and entries.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › pettyPETTY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › petty

   • Cached

   Petty definition: of little or no importance or consequence. See examples of PETTY used in a sentence.

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishPETTY | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   Petty means unimportant or not serious, or complaining too much about unimportant things. Learn how to use this adjective with examples and translations in different languages.

6. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishPETTY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of petty as an adjective to describe something unimportant, trivial, or mean. Find synonyms, pronunciation, and usage examples of petty in British and American English.

7. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishpetty adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of petty adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › pettyPetty - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › petty

   Petty used to mean just "petite" or "small," but now it's used for things that are trivial and shouldn’t matter much. If you host world leaders and spend more time picking napkins than memorizing names, you're focused on petty things.