petty

Petty is an English adjective meaning small in amount, importance, or rank, and is used to describe things regarded as minor or trifling. The word derives from Old French petit “small,” which itself comes from Latin parvus. In English usage, petty can modify offenses, matters, or concerns, as in petty crime or petty details, and in phrases such as petty cash, a small reserve of cash for incidental expenses.

Petty also exists as a surname. The surname Petty originates in England and has spread to other English-speaking countries. Notable individuals include Tom Petty (1950–2017), American musician and frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

In other contexts, petty is used in titles and class descriptors: a petty officer is a non-commissioned rank in many navies, including the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy. The term appears in political economy as petty bourgeoisie, referring to a lower-middle-class social group. The word can carry a pejorative sense when used to describe behavior or attitudes as mean or overly meticulous about trifling matters.