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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | peti 'small' |
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pet‧ty
1 a petty problem, detail etc is small and unimportant [= trivial]: 
petty squabblespetty restrictions
petty squabblespetty restrictions2 unkind and caring too much about small unimportant things : How can she be so petty? petty jealousy and spitefulness
How can she be so petty?petty jealousy and spitefulness3 a crime that is not serious, for example stealing things that are not very valuable
petty crime
SCC5 a petty official is not important - used especially when they use their power as if they were important : Some petty bureaucrat wanted all the documents in triplicate.
Some petty bureaucrat wanted all the documents in triplicate. —pettiness noun [uncountable] the pettiness of Hollywood
the pettiness of Hollywood