from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Petit \Pet"it\ (p[e^]t"[y^]; F. pe*t[-e]"), a. [F. See {Petty}.]
Small; little; insignificant; mean; -- Same as {Petty}.
[Obs., except in legal language.]
[1913 Webster]
By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of
and recover a vanishing notion. --South.
[1913 Webster]
{Petit constable}, an inferior civil officer, subordinate to
the high constable.
{Petit jury}, a jury of twelve men, impaneled to try causes
at the bar of a court; -- so called in distinction from
the {grand jury}.
{Petit larceny}, the stealing of goods of, or under, a
certain specified small value; -- opposed to {grand
larceny}. The distinction is abolished in England.
{Petit ma[^i]tre}. [F., lit., little master.] A fop; a
coxcomb; a ladies' man. --Goldsmith.
{Petit serjeanty} (Eng. Law), the tenure of lands of the
crown, by the service of rendering annually some implement
of war, as a bow, an arrow, a sword, a flag, etc.
{Petit treason}, formerly, in England, the crime of killing a
person to whom the offender owed duty or subjection, as
one's husband, master, mistress, etc. The crime is now not
distinguished from murder.
[1913 Webster]