Where does the term petty officer come from? – Detailed Answer 2026

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Answer to: where does the term petty officer come from

Age of Sail

The modern petty officer dates back to the Age of Sail . Petty officers rank between naval officers ( both commissioned and warrant ) and most enlisted sailors . These were men with some claim to officer rank , sufficient to distinguish them from ordinary ratings , without raising them so high as the sea officers . Several were warrant officers , in the literal sense of being appointed by warrant , and like the warrant sea officers , their superiors , they were usually among the specialists of the ship ‘s company . The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the title derives from the Anglo – Norman and Middle French “ petit ” , meaning “ of small size , small , little ” .

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