Pet″ty (?), a. [Compar.Pettier (?); superl.Pettiest.] [OE. petit, F. petit; probably of Celtic origin, and akin to E. piece. Cf. Petit.] Little; trifling; inconsiderable; also, inferior; subordinate; as, a petty fault; a petty prince. Denham.
Like a petty god
I walked about, admired of all. Milton.
Petty averages. See under Average. — Petty cash, money expended or received in small items or amounts. — Petty officer, a subofficer in the navy, as a gunner, etc., corresponding to a noncommissionned officer in the army.
☞ For petty constable, petty jury, petty larceny, petty treason, See Petit.
Syn. — Little; diminutive; inconsiderable; inferior; trifling; trivial; unimportant; frivolous.