Dictionary

peccadillo en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌpɛ.kəˈdɪ.ləʊ/ (UK)
• /ˌpɛ.kəˈdɪ.loʊ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Spanish pecadillo, diminutive form of pecado (“sin”), from Latin peccatum (“sin, error, fault”), from peccō (“to sin, offend”).

Meanings

1. A small flaw or sin.
   • The sex scandal issue isn’t really central, since Americans have a long record of voting for the candidates they think can deliver, regardless of private peccadilloes. 2016 May 19, Gail Collins, “Subtract One Clinton”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
   • We tolerate Irene and Phil’s mild racist quirks and planet-destroying peccadilloes (“I could never own any car smaller than my Cutlass Supreme”) because their existence acts as a tranquilizer in an otherwise slightly-out-of-control world. 1991, Douglas Coupland, “Celebrities Die”, in Generation X, New York: St. Martin's Press, →OCLC, page 112:
2. A petty offense.
   • No sexual peccadillo is left unremarked upon. 2019, John O’Connell, chapter 56, in Bowie's Bookshelf, →ISBN:
   • When he comes to the prayer, he sometimes does me the honor of personally recommending me to the Lord, advising him that I am a worthy man and begging him to condone my occasional peccadillos. 1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 106:

Forms

Synonyms

transgression · wrongdoing · fault · misdemeanor · villainy · crime · misdeed · error · tort · veniality · glitch · wrong · sin · malfeasance · delinquency · offense · delict · tortfeasance · misdoing · veniality · quirk · transgression · imperfection · peccadillo · wrongdoing

Translations (14)

sv förseelse (petty offense) · fr peccadille (small sin or flaw) · pl grzeszek (petty offense) · fr peccadille (petty offense) · nl pekelzonde (small sin or flaw) · de Kavaliersdelikt (petty offense) · pl grzeszek (small sin or flaw) · sv felsteg (small sin or flaw) · bg малък грях (small sin or flaw) · sv lagöverträdelse (petty offense) · es pecadillo (small sin or flaw) · sv småsynd (small sin or flaw) · ru грешо́к (small sin or flaw) · sv försyndelse (small sin or flaw)