Petties

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛtiz/

Definitions

1. An informally used term for minor offenses or trivial matters that often seem unimportant
2. Describing petty grievances or disputes that lack significant weight or seriousness in a broader context
3. Referring to the practice of focusing on insignificant details or small issues that do not warrant much attention

Etymology: "Petties" is a plural noun form built from "petty," and it turns up mostly in informal, slangy settings. Its root is the adjective "petty," which goes back to Anglo-French "petit," meaning small, with the English sense of minor or insignificant following from that. The plural is the more interesting part. It is a shortening of "petty expenses," the small outgoings that people once tallied as a category in their own right. Over time the adjective was dropped and the plural noun stood alone, so "petties" came to refer to trivial matters or small grievances without the original "expenses" attached.

Synonyms: small amounts, trifles, minutiae, details, trinkets

Antonyms: majorities, essentials, important things, essences, fundamentals