[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/petty/)

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# petty

adjective (petty, pettier, pettiest)

«petty» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Small and unimportant: petty problems. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#m1)
2. Caring too much about small things in a mean way: «Don't be so petty!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#m2)
3. Minor, less serious: petty crime, petty theft. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#m3)
4. Small, for daily use: petty cash. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#m4)

### In the lessons

In everyday speech: «That's so petty!» = making a fuss about something tiny, being mean. In law: petty theft (stealing small things). In money: petty cash is a small amount kept for small costs. In history: petty kings ruled small lands.

### Examples

- Don't be petty — share the crayons. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#x1)
- They had a petty argument about who sat where. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#x2)
- Shoplifting a sweet is still petty theft. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#x3)
- The office keeps petty cash in a tin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#x4)
- Toad thought rules were petty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#x5)
- It's petty to stay cross about a game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/#x6)

### Note

Comparative: pettier, pettiest. From French petit (small). «Being petty» is a common teenage word.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «petty» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/petty/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«petty» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/petty.html) on Mova free.