pet

[ pet ]

/ pɛt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pet ON THESAURUS.COM

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), pet·ted, pet·ting.

to fondle or caress: to pet a dog.

to treat as a pet; indulge.

verb (used without object), pet·ted, pet·ting.

Informal. to engage in kissing, caressing, and other sexual activity with one’s partner, but not sexual intercourse.

VIDEO FOR PET

WATCH NOW: For The Love Of Pets: These Quotes Are Pretty Purrfect

Origin of pet

1500–10; (noun) perhaps back formation from pet lamb cade lamb, shortened variant of petty lamb little lamb (see petty); (v.) derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR pet

9 baby, humor, pamper, favor.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pet ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM pet

pet·ta·ble, adjective

Words nearby pet

pestilent, pestilential, pestle, pesto, pesty, pet, pet name, pet parent, pet peeve, pet scan, pet scanner

Definition for pet (2 of 5)

pet ²

[ pet ]

/ pɛt /

noun

a fit of peevishness, sulking, or bad mood.

verb (used without object)

to be peevish; sulk.

Origin of pet

1580–90; origin uncertain; cf. pettish

Definition for pet (3 of 5)

PET

[ pet ]

/ pɛt /

positron emission tomography.

Compare PET scan.

Definition for pet (4 of 5)

pet.

petroleum.

Definition for pet (5 of 5)

Pet.

Peter.

Example sentences from the Web for pet

Owing to its popularity as a pet, it has spread across the Pacific to China.

The Buddhist Business of Poaching Animals for Good Karma |Brendon Hong |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This season is all about monitoring posture, scrutinizing sun exposure, even exploring the health of a pet.

Nothing Says I Love You Like Data |The Daily Beast |December 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When POTUS asked Malia if she wanted to pet the turkey before he granted its reprieve, she responded appropriately: “Nah.”

GOP Flack Throws Shade at First Teens |Olivia Nuzzi |November 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
As he describes why he plans to spend the rest of his days in Kisangani, a pet parrot gnaws on his Rolex.

‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis |Nina Strochlic |November 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

He even launched a Facebook campaign on an animal welfare page from his hospital room to try to save the pet.

Ebola in Europe: What Went Wrong |Barbie Latza Nadeau |October 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Course, I sends back the roguish wink, and by the end of the week we was callin' each other by our pet names.

Torchy |Sewell Ford
Without this she could not hold the stallion, and he was no pet to come at her caressing call of the double notes.

Tharon of Lost Valley |Vingie E. Roe
The comparative failure of this, Cromwell's pet enterprise, was a bitter blow to the Protector.

The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII Century |Clarence Henry Haring
A short time before our party arrived, some person tried to pet a bear and was bitten in the wrist.

With God in the Yellowstone |Alma White
Dutchy, who had looked rather crestfallen at a suggestion of an improvement on his pet invention, now suddenly brightened up.

The Scientific American Boy |A. Russell (Alexander Russell) Bond

British Dictionary definitions for pet (1 of 4)

pet ¹

/ (pɛt) /