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pet
1[ pet ]
noun
- any domesticated or tamed animal that is kept as a companion and cared for affectionately.
- a person especially cherished or indulged; favorite:
He was the teacher's pet.
- a thing particularly cherished.
adjective
- kept or treated as a pet:
a pet lamb.
- especially cherished or indulged, as a child or other person.
- favorite; most preferred:
a pet theory.
- showing fondness or affection:
to address someone with pet words.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
- Informal. to engage in kissing, caressing, and other sexual activity with one’s partner, but not sexual intercourse.
pet
2[ pet ]
noun
- a fit of peevishness, sulking, or bad mood.
verb (used without object)
- to be peevish; sulk.
PET
3[ pet ]
noun
pet.
4abbreviation for
- petroleum.
Pet.
5abbreviation for
- Peter.
PET
1abbreviation for
- positron emission tomography
acronym for
- potentially exempt transfer: a procedure in the UK whereby gifting property and cash is tax-free, provided that the donor lives for at least seven years after the gift is made
pet
2/ pɛt /
noun
- a fit of sulkiness, esp at what is felt to be a slight; pique
verb
- intr to take offence; sulk
Pet.
3abbreviation for
- Peter
pet
4/ pɛt /
noun
- a tame animal kept in a household for companionship, amusement, etc
- a person who is fondly indulged; favourite
teacher's pet
adjective
- kept as a pet
a pet dog
- of or for pet animals
pet food
- particularly cherished; favourite
a pet theory
a pet hatred
- familiar or affectionate
a pet name
- pet daypet day a single fine day during a period of bad weather
verb
- tr to treat (a person, animal, etc) as a pet; pamper
- tr to pat or fondle (an animal, child, etc)
- informal.intr (of two people) to caress each other in an erotic manner, as during lovemaking (often in the phrase heavy petting )
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Derived Forms
- ˈpetter, noun
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Other Words From
- petta·ble adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of pet1
Origin of pet3
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Word History and Origins
Origin of pet1
Origin of pet2
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Idioms and Phrases
In addition to the idiom beginning with pet , also see teacher's pet .Discover More
Example Sentences
Last week, you were building a large pen for your pet hamster.
Leaving behind pets can also seem like an insurmountable hurdle for others, and though legally shelters are supposed to provide care for pets, not all actually do.
Build a pet bedIf you want a quick and easy pet bed, it’s hard to beat a coffee sack.
In such situations, it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of your pet and a learned list of commands.
In that case, Schrödinger’s misfortunate pet would be either dead or alive, even if no one is looking.
Owing to its popularity as a pet, it has spread across the Pacific to China.
Then I was the December Penthouse Pet, which is a huge honor.
This season is all about monitoring posture, scrutinizing sun exposure, even exploring the health of a pet.
When POTUS asked Malia if she wanted to pet the turkey before he granted its reprieve, she responded appropriately: “Nah.”
As he describes why he plans to spend the rest of his days in Kisangani, a pet parrot gnaws on his Rolex.
When he gets quite large the boy will get tired of having him for a pet, and perhaps bring him back.
Now and then the boy who had bought Squinty, and who was taking him home, would look around at his pet in the slatted box.
The boy lifted up his pet, and put him back in the pen that had been especially built for the little pig.
After a little while Yung Pak got used to these "monkey shines," and he knew that his pet would not stay away long after mealtime.
You can see that it is five o'clock, because Big God Nqong's pet tame clock says so.
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More About Pet
What does pet mean?
A pet is any animal that is tamed and trained to be kept as a companion, such as a dog or a bird.
To pet means to stroke or rub an animal’s fur or body in a cherished way.
A pet can also be a person or object that someone cherishes or indulges.
Finally, pet can describe something that is cherished, such as a pet theory.
Example: She is so extravagant that she has a big birthday party for her pet dog every year.
Where does pet come from?
The first records of the term pet come from the early 1500s. It most likely comes from the phrase petty lamb, meaning “little lamb.”
While having a pet dog might be nice, when someone calls you the teacher’s pet, they are saying you became the teacher’s favorite student in order to get special treatment. And while pet words can make language more fun, pet theories can lead to trouble if we don’t look at evidence against our theory closely enough. Looking at facts on both sides of an argument is the best way to prevent our favorite theories from making pets of us.
Did you know … ?
How is pet used in real life?
Pets are usually cherished and treated even better than humans in some cases.
I hope you all get to pet a dog today
— WeRateDogs® (@dog_rates) March 3, 2017
I want a pet tree frog 🐸
— Nash Grier (@Nashgrier) August 19, 2014
Feeling like a right teacher's pet as you proudly present your train ticket to the inspector
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) June 2, 2016
Try using pet!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for pet?
A. cherished
B. disliked
C. loved
D. prefered
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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