petite phrase

\pə.tit fʁɑz\

/\pə.tit fʁɑz\/ noun

The verdict

“petite phrase” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Courte phrase ou citation, volontaire ou non, qui marque les esprits parce qu’elle est facilement détachée de son contexte. Elle devient parfois une locution courante.

Key facts for petite phrase
PropertyValue
Headwordpetite phrase
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\pə.tit fʁɑz\
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “petite phrase” sits in French frequency

petite phrase falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for petite phrase is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \pə.tit fʁɑz\. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Courte phrase ou citation, volontaire ou non, qui marque les esprits parce qu’elle est facilement détachée de son contexte. Elle devient parfois une locution courante.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for petite phrase, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable French rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

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 phrase, spelled P-E-T-I-T-E- -P-H-R-A-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Courte phrase ou citation, volontaire ou non, qui marque les esprits parce qu’elle est facilement détachée de son contexte. Elle devient parfois une locution courante.

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 phrase"?
"petite phrase" is spelled P-E-T-I-T-E- -P-H-R-A-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is \pə.tit fʁɑz\.
What does "petite phrase" mean?
As a noun, "petite phrase" means: Courte phrase ou citation, volontaire ou non, qui marque les esprits parce qu’elle est facilement détachée de son contexte. Elle devient parfois une locution courante.
How do you pronounce "petite phrase"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "petite phrase" is \pə.tit fʁɑz\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "petite phrase" come from?
"petite phrase" 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.

Using “petite phrase”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is P-E-T-I-T-E- -P-H-R-A-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \pə.tit fʁɑz\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list