petite
petite Lexical Profile
petite Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Having a small, slender, and trim figure (used especially of a woman or girl).
"The petite gymnast effortlessly executed a series of complex flips across the mat."
Designating or relating to standard women's clothing sizes proportioned for shorter figures (typically 5 feet 4 inches and under).
"She always shops in the petite department so she doesn't have to hem her trousers."
• noun
A garment or clothing size designed to fit women of short, slender stature.
"The dress was out of stock in regular sizes, so she tried on a petite instead."
A woman or girl of small, slender build.
"This coat silhouette is particularly flattering for petites because the higher waistline elongates the legs."
Word Nuance & Usage
Borrowed directly from the French feminine form of 'petit' (small), 'petite' in English is used almost exclusively to describe women or girls who are both short in stature and slender in build, or the clothing sizes tailored for them.
• Rhymes for petite
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 18th century from French 'petite', the feminine singular of 'petit' ('small'), which derives from Old French 'petit' and ultimately Vulgar Latin '*pittitus' ('small, slender').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.