Synonyms & related words for pettifog

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of pettifog — including quibble, bicker, nitpick, cavil, argufy, argue. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to pettifog

Explore words related to pettifog — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include niggle, brabble, pettifoggery, squabble, hairsplitter, hairsplitting, captiously, captiousness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for pettifog

Common synonyms for pettifog include quibble, bicker, nitpick, cavil, argufy, argue, polemicize, dispute — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does pettifog come from?

The word pettifog breaks down into 2 roots of French and German origin: petti-, from French petit (“small, petty”); and fog, from German fugger (“merchant family name (petty trader)”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.