pet
/pɛt/ noun, verb, adjective
Forms pets petting petted
- noun An animal kept as a companion or otherwise for pleasure, rather than for some practical benefit or use. “family pet, pet cat, pet dog, pet store”
- noun (by extension) Something kept as a companion, including inanimate objects. “pet plant, pet rock”
- noun One who is excessively loyal to a superior and receives preferential treatment.
- noun Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a darling.
- verb (transitive) To stroke or fondle (an animal). “I really love to pet cute puppies.”
- verb (transitive, intransitive, informal) To stroke or fondle (another person) amorously. “We started petting each other the moment we were alone.”
- verb (dated, transitive) To keep or treat (an animal) as a pet.
- verb (dated, transitive) To treat (someone) as a pet; to fondle; to indulge. “His daughter was petted and spoiled.”
- verb (archaic, intransitive) To be a pet.
- verb (archaic, intransitive) To be peevish; to sulk.
- adjective (figurative) Favourite; cherished; the focus of one's (usually positive) attention. “a pet project”
- adjective (literally) Kept or treated as a pet. “pet rock”
- adjective (obsolete) Good; ideal.
- noun A fit of petulance, a sulk, arising from the impression that one has been offended or slighted.
- verb To be petulant or upset; to have a problem with.
- noun (Ireland, Geordie) A term of endearment usually applied to women and children.
Synonyms
companion animal pat smooth mope pout grope touch up cosset feel up coddle PETE ditag darling favorite favourite dearie deary ducky positron emission tomography favored best-loved preferred preferent
Etymology
Originally northern dialectal, from Scots pet (“an animal that has been tamed and is kept as a pet; a darling or favourite; a petted or spoiled child”), probably from Scottish Gaelic peata (“pet, tamed animal, spoiled child”), from Middle Irish petta, peta (“pet, lap-dog”), of uncertain origin, possibly from a pre-Indo-European substrate. Compare also peat (“pet, darling, woman”), which is likely not related.
The verb is derived from the noun.
Clipping of petulance.
Clipping of petal.
Clipping of petition.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand.
- noun Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a fondling; a darling; often, a favorite child.
- adjective Petted; indulged; admired; cherished; as, a pet child; a pet lamb; a pet theory.
- verb To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge; as, she was petted and spoiled.
Etymology [Formerly peat, perhaps from Ir. peat, akin to Gael. peata.]
Etymology [Perh. for petty cock.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “pet”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details