Peccadilloes

Peccadilloes are minor sins, faults, or failings; slight transgressions or indiscretions that are not considered serious offenses. They often refer to behaviors that are ethically or socially questionable but do not cause significant harm or offense. Think of them as small blunders or imperfections in character or conduct, sometimes even endearing due to their triviality. They can be social gaffes, minor lapses in judgment, or personal foibles. While peccadilloes might cause momentary embarrassment or amusement, they rarely result in significant consequences. The term emphasizes the trivial nature of the offense, differentiating it from more grave misdeeds.

Peccadilloes meaning with examples

• During the otherwise perfect formal dinner, the host's only real peccadillo was mispronouncing the guest of honor's name upon arrival, which caused mild amusement, but did not affect the evening's events. The guest quickly brushed it off, as everyone agreed that it was a charming and innocent mistake. Nevertheless, the host felt immense remorse, despite all the guests saying it was nothing at all to worry about.
• Despite his reputation as a meticulous accountant, the professor’s one noticeable peccadillo was his relentless tendency to arrive to his classes slightly late, often with papers falling out of his briefcase, causing mild disruptions and entertainment for the students in attendance. However, he always covered the material effectively, making these late arrivals an excusable habit to his students.
• The renowned author’s admitted peccadillo was her fondness for gossip. While she never wrote anything truly damaging, she'd share juicy tidbits of information with friends, which was a habit which would likely get her into trouble, if exposed. However, none of her confidences ever reached a wider audience, so she was allowed to continue this behavior, in relative anonymity.
• Her biggest peccadillo at the workplace was a slight tendency towards oversharing personal details during company meetings, which once made a colleague feel extremely uncomfortable. It didn't affect anyone or anything in a bad way, however, which could be why her boss never mentioned it to her.