Petite

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /pəˈtiːt/

Definitions

1. Describing a small and slim physique often exuding elegance and charm
2. Having a small and slender physical form, often associated with delicacy and neatness
3. Referring to a person with a compact and trim figure that suggests gracefulness

Etymology: "Petite" arrived in English straight from French, where it is the feminine form of "petit," meaning "small" or "little." French grammar gives adjectives a feminine ending, so the form that reached English was the one used to describe a woman or girl. English kept that gendered sense: it describes a small-framed person, and in dress sizing it marks garments cut for women of short stature. The English word "petty," meaning small or minor, shares the same ancestry, descending from the same French "petit" through Anglo-Norman. The two words are cousins that took different routes, with "petite" keeping its French spelling and its feminine ending.

Synonyms: small, diminutive, tiny

Antonyms: large, big