ENGLISH
REFERENCE

petite

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //pəˈtit// UK //pətˈiːt// pe·tite

adj. describing a woman who is small and thin in an attractive way. It is often used in fashion to describe clothing for shorter women.

adj. having a small, slender, and dainty build; specifically used to describe women. In a commercial context, refers to a standard clothing size range for women typically shorter than 162 cm (5'4").


SIMPLE

She is quite petite, so she often shops in the specialty section.

CONTEXTUAL

The actress looked elegant in a dress tailored specifically for her petite frame.

COMPLEX

While the fashion industry often prioritizes height, many brands have expanded their petite collections to cater to women who require shorter hemlines and adjusted proportions.

Synonyms
Usage

Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun; almost exclusively applied to women rather than men.

Pitfall

He is a petite man.He is a small man.The word petite is gender-specific in English and is used only to describe women or girls.

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