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.