Word Origin & History
pet (1)
"tamed animal," originally Scot. and northern England dial., of unknown origin. Sense of "indulged child" (1508) is recorded slightly earlier than that of "animal kept as a favorite" (1539), but the latter may be the primary meaning. Probably associated with or influenced by petty. The verb is 1629 meaning "treat as a pet;" the sense of "to stroke" is first found 1818. Slang sense of "kiss and caress" is from 1920 (implied in petting, in F. Scott Fitzgerald). Teacher's pet is attested from 1914.