petty
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.caring too much about small things or being mean to someone over a tiny problem.
adj.marked by narrow-mindedness or a tendency to be spiteful over trivial grievances.
Simple“It was petty of him to stop talking to her just because she forgot his birthday.”
In context“The manager's petty refusal to approve a ten-minute break was seen by the staff as a deliberate attempt to exert unnecessary control.”
SynonymsAntonymsmagnanimousgenerous - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing something that is not very important or serious.
adj.of secondary importance or rank; trivial in nature.
Simple“The police deal with petty crimes like shoplifting every day.”
In context“The legal team spent hours arguing over petty details that had no real impact on the final verdict.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old-fashioned word for an outdoor toilet.
n.a dialectal and euphemistic term for an outhouse or outdoor lavatory.
Simple“The old cottage still had a petty at the bottom of the garden.”
In context“Before modern plumbing was installed in the village, every household relied on a petty located a short distance from the main dwelling.”
UsageCommonly used in Northern England; now largely archaic in daily speech.
Synonyms