Petty \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.

Note: For petty constable, petty jury, petty larceny, petty treason, See Petit.

Syn: Little; diminutive; inconsiderable; inferior; trifling; trivial; unimportant; frivolous.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)