Etymologically
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petit

Etymology and origin of the French word petit

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 980, Passion de Clermont
Inherited from
Old French petit

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pə.ti/[1]
  • IPA: /p.ti/[1]
  • IPA: /pə.ti.t‿/[1]
  • IPA: /p.ti.t‿/[1]

Forms

petit (feminine petite, masculine plural petits, feminine plural petites, comparative moindre, superlative le moindre)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French petit, probably from a Late Latin type *pettittus, reconstructed from popular pititus, found in a text of 775 (“in pitito villare” “in a small hamlet”), and Late Latin pitinnus, “pitullus”.[2][3][4][5] These words are built on an expressive stem “pitt-” of children's language expressing smallness.[2][3][4] Diez instead started from a stem “pit” “something pointed, narrow”.[6] Etymonline mentions a Celtic root “pett-” “piece”, also found in Italian pezza and English piece.[7]

The word is Gallo-Romance only (Old Occitan petit, Catalan petit); the other Romance languages express the idea with adjectives of similar formation, such as Italian piccolo and Spanish pequeño, which replaced Latin parvus.[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Passion de Clermont (about 980) it means “not fully grown, young”, as in li gran e li petit “everyone, great and small”, and also “short in time” (anz petiz dis “before a few days”).[8][2]

Semantic evolution

From the 10th century petit was applied to a living being smaller than average and, as size marks a stage of growth, to a young one; these two notions organize its main uses.[2] About 1100 it described size below the average (of ears, of a person) and small numbers (of troops).[8] It also marked social inferiority by birth, power or wealth.[2] Low prices (petit prix) are found in 1160–74, and the noun un petit “a young child” in 1548.[8] Ma petite as an endearment is in Mme de Sévigné (1671).[8]

Derivatives include petitesse (about 1130), rapetisser (1349) and petiot (1379).[3] Petit-fils (about 1560), petits-enfants (about 1555) and petite-fille (1636) were formed on the model of grand-père, because neveu could mean both “nephew” and “grandson”.[3] English petty and English petit come from the Old French word.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 980 – Petit “young” in the Passion de Clermont.[8]
  • c. 1100 – Of size below the average, in the Chanson de Roland.[8]
  • c. 1130 – Petitesse.[3]
  • 1349 – Rapetisser.[3]
  • 1548 – Un petit “a young child”.[8]
  • c. 1560 – Petit-fils.[3]
  • 1671 – Ma petite in Mme de Sévigné.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. small, little: below average size: une petite maison.[1][8]
  2. Young, little: mon petit frère.[8][1]
  3. Short (in time or distance): un petit moment.[8]
  4. Small, slight (in amount or importance): un petit prix, une petite faute.[8][1]
  5. Humble, of low rank: les petites gens.[2]
  6. petty, mean: un esprit petit.[1]
  7. Expresses affection: mon petit chat.[9]

Noun

  1. A child, mon petit, ma petite: term of affection.[9][1]
  2. The young of an animal: la chatte et ses petits.[1][8]

Adverb

  1. Petit à petit: little by little.[8]

Word family

  • petiot
  • petitesse
  • rapetisser
  • petit-fils
  • petite-fille
  • petits-enfants

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 342b
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
Cite this entry

“Petit.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/petit. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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