The meaning of PETIT is petty —used chiefly in legal compounds.

PETIT definition: small; petty; minor. See examples of petit used in a sentence.

Jan 1, 2026 · From Middle French petit, from Old French petit. See Modern English petit, above. Attested from at least the 13th century, with use in names earlier.

Pages on food duty are responsible for taking petit fours around after handing the sweet dish.

(Law) (prenominal) chiefly law of little or lesser importance; small: petit jury. [C14: from Old French: little, of obscure origin]

There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the word petit, three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Oct 28, 2025 · People started borrowing “petit” from French and using it to refer to someone or something that’s small, cute, or precious in a playful way. It’s like the digital version of calling your …

Apr 30, 2025 · In French, “petit” is incredibly versatile. It can describe the physical size of an object (“une petite maison” – a small house), the age of a person (“un petit garçon” – a little boy), or even the …

Petit (pronounced /pəˈtiː/ or /pəˈtɪt/) is an adjective of French origin meaning “small” or “little.” This term can convey various connotations based on context, including size, importance, and degree.

Petit definition: Lesser in seriousness or scale.