adj

petty

PEHT-ee

adj

Minor or unimportant, especially compared to more serious matters.

"It was just a petty disagreement over parking spaces."

"Petty theft carries a much lighter sentence than armed robbery."

Small-minded and overly concerned with trivial things, often out of spite.

"Refusing to invite her over a years-old joke felt incredibly petty."

How to Use Petty

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTrivial or small in importance — or, describing a person, small-minded and spiteful about minor things.

Common mistake

Calling a person "petty" is an insult about their character, not just their actions — it implies mean-spirited nitpicking.

Easily confused with

petit → petite →

Common pairings

petty crime petty cash petty argument so petty

pettier comparative, more petty comparative, petties plural, Pettys plural, pettiest superlative, most petty superlative

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It was just a _____ disagreement over parking spaces.

From Old French petit, "small" — the same root as "petit" and "petite," worn down in English pronunciation and spelling.

hetty betty jetty Letty Getty pretty Shetty