subaltern vs petty

subaltern and petty both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
subaltern	Yes	Yes	No	No
petty	Yes	Yes	No	No

As adjectives, subaltern and petty are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of subaltern include junior-grade, lower-ranking, lowly, secondary.

subaltern (noun)	petty (noun)
a British commissioned army officer below the rank of captain	larceny of property having a value less than some amount (the amount varies by locale)

subaltern (adjective)	petty (adjective)
inferior in rank or status	inferior in rank or status
	contemptibly narrow in outlook
	(informal) small and of little importance