petite main

\pə.tit mɛ̃\

/\pə.tit mɛ̃\/ noun

The verdict

“petite main” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Jeune ouvrière en couture qui débute dans le métier.

Corpus desk

Index FR-petite-main · petite main · French

petite main · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for petite main
PropertyValue
Headwordpetite main
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\pə.tit mɛ̃\
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « petite main » en français

petite mainreste hors des 100.000 mots français les plus fréquents, dans la longue queue du vocabulaire technique, archaïque ou rare, là où le doute d'orthographe frappe.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

petite main is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \pə.tit mɛ̃\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for petite main in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is petite main, spelled P-E-T-I-T-E- -M-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Jeune ouvrière en couture qui débute dans le métier.
  2. 2
    Personne employée à de menues tâches fastidieuses.
  3. 3
    Personne qui effectue les basses besognes.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how petite main appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Pour saisir la fortune, il suffit d’une « petite main ».
  2. L’atelier d’couture est en fête […] Car c’est aujourd’hui qu’Marinette Vient juste d’avoir ses vingt ans. Trottins, petites mains et premières Ont toutes apporté des gâteaux…

Synonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "petite main"?
"petite main" is spelled P-E-T-I-T-E- -M-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is \pə.tit mɛ̃\.
What does "petite main" mean?
As a noun, "petite main" means: Jeune ouvrière en couture qui débute dans le métier.
How do you pronounce "petite main"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "petite main" is \pə.tit mɛ̃\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "petite main" come from?
"petite main" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list