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

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

Feb 28, 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.

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.

Definition of 'petit' petit in American English (ˈpɛti ) adjective Origin: OFr: see petty small or of less importance; petty [now used chiefly in law]

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

May 22, 2024 · While petite is specific to describing women's body types and related clothing sizes, petit is a more general term used to describe smallness in various contexts, often as part of French …

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.

petit (adj.) late 14c., "small, little; minor, trifling, insignificant," from Old French petit "small, little, young, few in numbers" (11c.), which is probably from the stem of Late Latin pitinnus "small," a word of …