What does peccadillo mean?
A peccadillo is a minor fault, mistake, or personal failing. It is a term of gentle criticism, often used when discussing small lapses in conduct, work, or judgment that deserve notice but not serious disapproval. The word can be affectionate, as when someone describes another person's repeated small errors as endearing peccadillos. Its formal, somewhat literary tone distinguishes it from everyday words such as mistake, error, or flaw, while its diminutive ending emphasizes that the fault is modest or trivial. A peccadillo is not necessarily a matter of strict morality, though it can occasionally refer to a minor breach of rules or convention. In ordinary use, it adds color and a sense of amused tolerance to a criticism. It is especially effective when a person wants to acknowledge a flaw without making it sound like a serious moral failing.
nounA minor fault, mistake, or shortcoming. The word is often used affectionately to describe a small personal failing or trivial misdeed.
- A minor fault, mistake, or shortcoming, especially a personal failing regarded as trivial or easily forgiven.
"His tendency to arrive a few minutes late was a harmless peccadillo."
"The missed appointment was more of a peccadillo than a serious breach of protocol."
"She smiled at her own peccadillos, admitting that she was often impatient with minor distractions."
The standard plural is peccadillos, sometimes with the final s pronounced /z/.
"The novel explores the peccadillos of an otherwise respectable family."
Peccadillo began life in Spanish as the diminutive of a sin, literally making a fault sound delightfully small.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does peccadillo come from?
The word comes from Spanish, where pecadillo is the diminutive of pecado, meaning a sin or fault. The Spanish noun in turn derives from the Latin peccatum, a form related to peccare, meaning to sin or err. English borrowed the Spanish word in the 17th century, retaining its sense of a small fault and eventually adopting the broader modern meaning of a minor mistake or shortcoming. Related forms in other Romance languages include Portuguese and Spanish pecar and Italian peccato.
Related word forms
How peccadillo is actually used
The word is generally formal or literary in tone, but it is often used humorously and sympathetically. It usually implies a fault that is trivial rather than serious or morally grave.
Easily confused with peccadillo
A peccadillo is a minor fault or mistake, whereas picadillo is a finely chopped meat mixture, often used as a filling or topping.