Note: The translation for this entry is currently under quality review. Some content is temporarily displayed in English only.
petty
/ˈpɛti/
When describing a person's behavior, "petty" often carries a negative emotional tone, suggesting that the person is being immature or unkind over something small. In legal or official contexts, such as "petty crime," it refers to the scale or seriousness of the offense rather than a personality trait.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon, Chloe is in a lecture hall while David is at his office.
David Smith
Your mom's still salty about the dishes. Don't be petty and just text her back.
Chloe Smith
I'm not being petty, I'm literally just ghosting the drama until finals are over.
💡
David uses 'petty' to describe Chloe's spiteful refusal to communicate over a trivial matter. Chloe responds using the slang 'ghosting' (ignoring someone completely) to justify her behavior as a coping mechanism for stress.