petty

insignificante

mezquino

Dictionary

Examples

petty(

)

An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g. the big dog).

adjective

1. (trivial)

a. insignificante

I'm not interested in all the petty squabbles and jealousies of my office colleagues.No me interesan las riñas ni los celos insignificantes de mis colegas de trabajo.

b. nimio

My job is hampered by hundreds of petty rules about tidiness and punctuality.En mi trabajo hay un sinfín de reglas nimias sobre el orden y la puntualidad que no hacen más que estorbar.

2. (small-minded)

a. mezquino

Don't you think it's rather petty not wanting her to go to the party just because you can't go yourself?Es un poco mezquino de tu parte que no quieras que vaya a la fiesta simplemente porque no puedes ir tú, ¿no crees?

3. (legal)

a. menor

The court spends a lot of time dealing with petty offenses like non-payment of parking tickets.El tribunal dedica mucho tiempo a infracciones menores como el impago de multas por estacionamiento indebido.

petty

An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g. the big dog).

adjective

1. (insignificant)

a. insignificante

petty cashcaja para gastos menores

petty crimedelitos menores

2. (law)

Regionalism used in the United States

(United States)

petty larcenydelito de robo por un valor inferior a los 500 dólares

3. (nautical)

petty officersuboficial de marina

4. (small-minded)

a. mezquino(a)

petty [ˈpetɪ]

adjective

pettier (comparative)pettiest (superlative)

1 (trivial) [+detail] insignificante; nimio; [+squabble, rivalry, concerns] pequeño; trivial

The directors, with their petty concerns about pensions and auto insurance

2 (minor) [+offence] menor

he's been in and out of prison for petty offences

3 (small-minded, spiteful) mezquino

you're being very petty about it te estás portando de manera muy mezquina

modifier

petty cash (n) dinero (m) para gastos menores; caja (f) chica (informal)

petty cash book (n) libro (m) de caja auxiliar

petty crime (n) delito (m) menor

a life of petty crime the increase in petty crime

petty larceny (n) robo (m) de menor cuantía

petty officer (n) suboficial (m) de marina

petty sessions (n) tribunal (m) de primera instancia

petty theft (n) robo (m) de poca monta

petty thief (n) ladrónonaladrona (m) (f) de poca monta;ona ladrona

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

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Phrases

petty-minded	mezquino oficioso
be petty	ser mezquino ser insignificante
petty tyrant	el cacique
petty officer	el/la suboficial de marina
petty thief	ratero
petty details	minucias