noun
- Henry Charles Keith Pet·ty-Fitz·mau·rice [pet-ee-fits-mawr-is, –mor-] /ˈpɛt i fɪtsˈmɔr ɪs, -ˈmɒr-/, 5th Marquis of,1845–1927, British statesman: viceroy of India 1888–94, foreign secretary 1900–05.
- William Petty Fitz·mau·rice [fits-mawr-is, –mor-] /fɪtsˈmɔr ɪs, -ˈmɒr-/, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, 1st Marquis of,1737–1805, British statesman: prime minister 1782–83.
- a city in SE Pennsylvania.
noun
- Richard,born 1937, U.S. racing-car driver.
- William, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, 1st Marquis of Lansdowne. William Petty Fitzmaurice Lansdowne.
noun
- 1st Marquess of. See (William Petty Fitzmaurice) Shelburne
adjective -tier or -tiest
- trivial; trifling; inessentialpetty details
- of a narrow-minded, mean, or small-natured disposition or characterpetty spite
- minor or subordinate in rankpetty officialdom
- law of lesser importance
late 14c., “small,” from phonemic spelling of Old French petit “small” (see petit). In English, not originally disparaging (cf. petty cash, 1834; petty officer, 1570s). Meaning “of small importance” is recorded from 1520s; that of “small-minded” is from 1580s. Related: Pettily; pettiness. An old name for “Northern Lights” was petty dancers.