PETITE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does petite mean? 

• PETITE (noun)
  The noun PETITE has 1 sense:

1. a garment size for short or slender women

  Familiarity information: PETITE used as a noun is very rare.

• PETITE (adjective)
  The adjective PETITE has 1 sense:

1. very small

  Familiarity information: PETITE used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PETITE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A garment size for short or slender women

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("petite" is a kind of...):

size (the property resulting from being one of a series of graduated measurements (as of clothing))

Derivation:

petite (very small)

• PETITE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Very small

Synonyms:

bantam; diminutive; flyspeck; lilliputian; midget; petite; tiny

Context example:

the flyspeck nation of Bahrain moved toward democracy

Similar:

little; small (limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent)

Derivation:

petite (a garment size for short or slender women)

petiteness (the property of being very small in size)

 Context examples 

Nay, ma petite, but here is a two-sous piece for thy kindly tongue and for the sight of thy pretty face.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

See how _les petites cheries_ step out for the credit of their master.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Monsieur a parle de vous: il m'a demande le nom de ma gouvernante, et si elle n'etait pas une petite personne, assez mince et un peu pale.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Pasques Dieu! they are made to be loved, les petites, from whimple down to shoe-string!

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“They are _des petites cadeaux_,” said he, “but it would be an indiscretion for me to say more.”

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When tea was over and Mrs. Fairfax had taken her knitting, and I had assumed a low seat near her, and Adele, kneeling on the carpet, had nestled close up to me, and a sense of mutual affection seemed to surround us with a ring of golden peace, I uttered a silent prayer that we might not be parted far or soon; but when, as we thus sat, Mr. Rochester entered, unannounced, and looking at us, seemed to take pleasure in the spectacle of a group so amicable—when he said he supposed the old lady was all right now that she had got her adopted daughter back again, and added that he saw Adele was prete a croquer sa petite maman Anglaise—I half ventured to hope that he would, even after his marriage, keep us together somewhere under the shelter of his protection, and not quite exiled from the sunshine of his presence.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Do not forget Sam Aylward, for his heart shall ever be thine alone—and thine, ma petite!

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“La petite is frightened,” said he.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There is la petite peeping from behind the door.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There was Marie, tall and grave, and Blanche petite and gay, and the dark Agnes, with eyes that went through you like a waxed arrow.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)