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

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

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 …

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.

Place the butter, petit pois and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Add the petit pois, orange juice and honey to the leeks. In the US a petit four is totally exotic! I left with all the ignored petit fours in my …

(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.