peccadillo
/ˌpɛ.kəˈdɪ.loʊ/
peccadillo means A small flaw or sin. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
peccadillo is pronounced /ˌpɛ.kəˈdɪ.loʊ/.
Why “peccadillo” is a great word
A small, relatively unimportant fault or sin; a petty offense. From Spanish *pecadillo*, a diminutive of *pecado* ("sin"), from Latin *peccatum* ("sin, error, fault"), from *peccō* ("to sin, offend"), first attested in English in the 1590s. Unlike "transgression," which implies a serious violation, or "foible," which suggests an endearing quirk of character, a peccadillo is a slight misstep in conduct. It is the white lie told for convenience, the second biscuit taken when no one is looking, or the purloined office pen—a catalogue of human frailty so minor it polishes, rather than tarnishes, the soul, reminding us our moral architecture is built to withstand weather, not siege.
Etymology
From Spanish pecadillo, diminutive form of pecado (“sin”), from Latin peccatum (“sin, error, fault”), from peccō (“to sin, offend”).
noun
- A small flaw or sin.“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.”
- A petty offense.“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.”