Petty

Quick meaning: Petty is an adjective meaning Having little or no importance.

Meaning

Having little or no importance.

More Meanings

1. Inclined to cause frustration or annoyance to others out of spite over minor grievances; extremely vindictive.
2. Little or small in size.
3. Secondary in importance or rank; minor, subordinate.
4. Of persons or their behaviour: marked by or reflective of undesirably limited interests, sympathies, or views; begrudging, selfish, small-minded; also, preoccupied with subjects having little or no importance and not mindful of broader concerns.
5. (historical) Of or relating to the lowest grade or level of school; junior, primary.
6. (dialectal, euphemistic, informal) An outbuilding used as a lavatory; an outhouse, a privy.
7. (historical) A class or school for young schoolboys.

Example Sentences

a petty fault petty squabbles

His birth, perhaps, ſome petty Village hides, / And ſets his Cradle out of Fortune's way: […]

Who would rot on the moor-side forgotten, / Slaughtered bickering for some petty town, / While the rich East blooms fragrant before us, / And all fairy land beckons us on?

I could have liv'd like Hengiſt, King of Kent, / London, York, Lincoln, and VVincheſter, / Under the povver of my Command, the portion / Of my moſt juſt deſert, enjoyed novv / By pettier Deſervers.

Word Forms

• pettier
• pettiest
• petties

Synonyms for petty

Depending on context, synonyms include base, contemptible, floccinaucinihilipilificatious, foolish, futile, frivolous.

Antonyms for petty

Common opposites include big, central, consequential, critical, crucial, epochful.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include piddling, unimportant, trivial, piffling, inferior, small.

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