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 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)