# petty

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpɛt.i/ · frequency rank #6,394

## Definitions
1. Having little or no importance.
2. 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.
3. Inclined to cause frustration or annoyance to others out of spite over minor grievances; extremely vindictive.
4. Of or relating to the lowest grade or level of school; junior, primary.
5. Little or small in size.
6. Secondary in importance or rank; minor, subordinate.

## Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English peti, pety (“little, small; minor”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman petit, Middle French petit, and Old French peti, petit, pitet (“young; little, small; inferior; insignificant”) (modern French petit), ultimately of imitative origin. It is no longer thought that the word is derived from Celtic. Doublet of petit and petite.
The noun is derived from the adjective.

## Easily confused with
- **pity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-pity)
- **Pitt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-pitt)
- **putt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-putt)
- **potty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-potty)
- **piety** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-piety)
- **Pitts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-pitts)
- **putty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-putty)
- **pithy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-pithy)
- **pretty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-pretty)
- **plenty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-plenty)
- **poetry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petty-vs-poetry)
- **pet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pet-vs-petty)
- **Pete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pete-vs-petty)
- **pets** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pets-vs-petty)
- **pest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pest-vs-petty)
- **peat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peat-vs-petty)
- **Petr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/petr-vs-petty)
- **pelt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pelt-vs-petty)
- **pert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pert-vs-petty)
- **party** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/party-vs-petty)

## Common misspellings (6)
`eptty`, `pettyy`, `pety`, `petyt`, `ppetty`, `ptety`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/petty