different between itsy-bitsy vs petite

English

Alternative forms

• itsy bitsy
• itty-bitty

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??tsi ?b?tsi/

Adjective

itsy-bitsy (comparative itsy-bitsier, superlative itsy-bitsiest)

1. (colloquial, often childish or humorous) Very small; minuscule.

   The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.

   She wore an itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini.

Synonyms

• incy wincy
• itty-bitty
• teeny-weeny

Translations

Derived terms

• itsy

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French petite f, feminine of petit m (“small, little”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??ti?t/
• Rhymes: -i?t

Adjective

petite (comparative more petite, superlative most petite)

1. (especially of a woman) fairly short and of slim build.
2. (clothing) of small size.
3. Small, little; insignificant; petty.
   • 1662, Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue on the Two Systems of the World (Dialogue Two)

     The Earth, the Sun, and Stars, what things are they in nature? are they petite things not worth our notice, or grand and worthy of consideration?

Derived terms

• petite perception

Related terms

• petitely
• petiteness

Translations

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “petite”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

Anagrams

• Pettie, Piette

Esperanto

Adverb

petite

1. past adverbial passive participle of peti

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p(?).tit/
• (Quebec) IPA^(key): /p(?).tit/, /p(?).t?s?t/

Adjective

petite

1. feminine singular of petit

Latin

Verb

petite

1. second-person plural present active imperative of pet?