noun
pet
peht
noun
1
An animal kept at home for companionship rather than work or food.
"They adopted a rescue dog as a family pet."
"Goldfish are often a child's first pet."
adjective
1
Favorite or especially cherished, often used for a personal cause or gripe.
"Punctuality is one of her pet issues at work."
verb
1
To stroke or gently touch an animal affectionately.
"The child petted the cat until it fell asleep."
How to Use Pet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn animal kept for companionship, or (as an adjective) someone's favorite thing/topic.
Common pairings
pet peeve
pet project
family pet
pet the dog
Word Forms
pet past tense, petted past tense, petted past tense, pets plural, pets plural, pets plural, pets singular, pets singular
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They adopted a rescue dog as a family _____.
Etymology
From Scots pet ("a tamed animal, or a spoiled darling"), probably from Scottish Gaelic peata.