pettifogging

[ pet-ee-fog-ing, -faw-ging ]
/ ˈpɛt iˌfɒg ɪŋ, -ˌfɔ gɪŋ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR pettifogging ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

insignificant; petty: pettifogging details.
dishonest or unethical in insignificant matters; meanly petty.

Origin of pettifogging

First recorded in 1570–80; see origin at pettifog, -ing2

Words nearby pettifogging

petticoat insulator, petticoat narcissus, petticoated, pettifog, pettifogger, pettifogging, petting, petting zoo, pettipants, pettish, pettiskirt

Definition for pettifogging (2 of 2)

pettifog
[ pet-ee-fog, -fawg ]
/ ˈpɛt iˌfɒg, -ˌfɔg /

verb (used without object), pet·ti·fogged, pet·ti·fog·ging.

to bicker or quibble over trifles or unimportant matters.
to carry on a petty, shifty, or unethical law business.
to practice chicanery of any sort.

Origin of pettifog

1605–15; back formation from pettifogger, equivalent to petty + fogger < Middle Low German voger or Middle Dutch voeger one who arranges things; akin to Old English gefōg a joining

OTHER WORDS FROM pettifog

pet·ti·fog·ger, noun pet·ti·fog·ger·y, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pettifog

ambulance chaser mouthpiece pettifogger shyster

Words related to pettifogging

niggle, bicker, wrangle, hassle, prevaricate, fence, avoid, flip-flop, spar, dispute, cavil, squabble, nitpick, carp, waffle, criticize, shift, pretend, evade, equivocate

Example sentences from the Web for pettifogging

British Dictionary definitions for pettifogging (1 of 2)

pettifogging
/ (ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡɪŋ) /

adjective

petty pettifogging details
mean; quibbling pettifogging lawyers

British Dictionary definitions for pettifogging (2 of 2)

pettifog
/ (ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡ) /

verb -fogs, -fogging or -fogged

(intr) to be a pettifogger