How to pronounce petty
Say it like PET-ee. Petty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce petty. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PET
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Petty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of petty
American and British speakers say petty in essentially the same way: /ˈpɛˌti/ in the US and /ˈpɛti/ in the UK.
British respelling: PET-ee.
What does petty mean?
- larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale)
- inferior in rank or status“the junior faculty”“a lowly corporal”
- (informal) small and of little importance“a fiddling sum of money”“a footling gesture”
- contemptibly narrow in outlook“petty little comments”“disgusted with their small-minded pettiness”
Words that rhyme with petty
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of petty.
Questions about saying petty
How do you pronounce petty?
Say PET-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɛˌti/. In British English it is /ˈpɛti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in petty?
Petty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PET). Broken into parts: PET · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say petty the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɛˌti/ and the British form is /ˈpɛti/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.