petty petty /ˈpɛˌtiː/

adjective

1. Contemptibly narrow in outlook  ( petty , small-minded )
   contemptibly narrow in outlook
    Petty little comments
   petty little comments
    Disgusted with their small-minded pettiness
   disgusted with their small-minded pettiness
   
2. [Informal] Small and of little importance  ( fiddling [Informal] , footling [Informal] , lilliputian , niggling [Informal] , petty [Informal] , picayune [Informal, N. American] , piddling [Informal] , piffling [Informal] , niggly [Informal] , little [Informal] , trivial [Informal] , piddly [Informal] )
   small and of little importance
    A fiddling sum of money
   a fiddling sum of money
    A footling gesture
   a footling gesture
    Our worries are lilliputian compared with those of countries that are at war
   our worries are lilliputian compared with those of countries that are at war
    A little (or small) matter
   a little (or small) matter
    A dispute over niggling details
   a dispute over niggling details
    Limited to petty enterprises
   limited to petty enterprises
    Piffling efforts
   piffling efforts
    Giving a police officer a free meal may be against the law, but it seems to be a picayune infraction
   giving a police officer a free meal may be against the law, but it seems to be a picayune infraction
   
3. Inferior in rank or status  ( lower-ranking , petty , secondary , junior-grade , lowly , subaltern )
   inferior in rank or status
    The junior faculty
   the junior faculty
    A lowly corporal
   a lowly corporal
    Petty officialdom
   petty officialdom
    A subordinate functionary
   a subordinate functionary
   

noun

1. Larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale)  ( petit larceny , petty , petty larceny )
   larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale)