as in diminutive
having a small and thin body
—usually used to describe a woman or girl
She's petite and has short black hair. a petite young woman
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petite
These petite potatoes are boiled, then stir fried, tossed with a salty-sweet sauce and finished with sesame seeds, green onions and pepper flakes.
—
Faye Levy, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Sure, cats meow, but Ms. Pink’s voice seems to match her petite size.
—Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the petite spa offers a sauna, fitness room, and treatments that go beyond the usual (think facial acupuncture, Japanese Kobido massage, even chiropractic adjustments).
—Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Jewelry and women’s clothing had been a sore spot for Kohl’s after Buchanan’s predecessor, Tom Kingsbury, had opted for Kohl’s to carry less inventory (like fine jewelry and women’s petite sizing), which ultimately hurt business.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petite
Faye Levy, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Sure, cats meow, but Ms. Pink’s voice seems to match her petite size.
—Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the petite spa offers a sauna, fitness room, and treatments that go beyond the usual (think facial acupuncture, Japanese Kobido massage, even chiropractic adjustments).
—Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Jewelry and women’s clothing had been a sore spot for Kohl’s after Buchanan’s predecessor, Tom Kingsbury, had opted for Kohl’s to carry less inventory (like fine jewelry and women’s petite sizing), which ultimately hurt business.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petite
Adjective
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Unlike prior targets, KY26 was chosen for its comparatively diminutive size.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
18 Sep. 2025
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When the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship comes to the Twin Cities in December, not many will know that more than 50 years ago, a diminutive former Gophers hockey player was a catalyst in the establishment of the tournament that now garners worldwide media attention.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Because of its smallish size, Kentucky’s capital (population 28,000) is a city where neighborliness and politics go hand in hand.—
Robin Roenker,
Southern Living,
13 Sep. 2025
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Next is Boll’s bedroom, a smallish, enveloping cabin.—
Laura Bannister,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The vehicle is reported to be the first Honda mini car to come with single-pedal control, where acceleration, slowing down and stopping can all be undertaken using one pedal.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Sep. 2025
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On Thursday, the City Council approved a temporary pause on permit fees for sidewalk cafes, street cafes and mini park spaces for dining establishments.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, as Hjalmar’s 14-year-old daughter, Hedvig, the elfin Maaike Laanstra-Corn is delivering yet another wonderfully eccentric embodiment of a high-strung tween with a potentially perilous excess of imagination.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
14 Sep. 2025
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Numerous species are commercially available, from the culinary classic common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) to colorful flowering groundcovers such as elfin thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and creeping thyme (Thymus praecox).—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Other recent surveys have started to find small satellite galaxies orbiting isolated dwarf galaxies.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The team also discovered two more new species of dwarf gecko: Lygodactylus arnei and Lygodactylus andavambato.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The sharp-yet-flexible points and buildable tint leave behind a trio of micro-fine strokes that, when brushed along your arches, blend seamlessly with your natural hairs.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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For those that want to pick up market-ready skills without pausing a career, micro programs might fit both budgets of time and money.—
Joseph Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pleasures of chewy textures are on better display in a shallow bowl of trofie, teeny-tiny handmade pasta twists cooked to a lovely springiness.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025
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This archipelago, with one main island and hundreds of tiny islands, is reachable via a multi-hour ferry ride or seaplane from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Minnesota.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This personal blender can whip up breakfast smoothies, sauces and dips, salsas, omelets, and more thanks to its small but mighty 250-watt power base and stainless steel cross blade.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
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Among its 14 plant oils are argan kernel and rice bran, which regulate sebum production and loosen dead skin cells, respectively—and, together, leave your pores looking significantly smaller and your skin significantly smoother.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petite. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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