pat

1 of 6

noun

1
: a light blow especially with the hand or a flat instrument
2
: a light tapping often rhythmical sound
3
: something (such as butter) shaped into a small flat usually square individual portion

pat

2 of 6

adverb

: in a pat manner : aptly, perfectly
has her part down pat

pat

3 of 6

verb

patted; patting

transitive verb

1
: to strike lightly with a flat instrument
2
: to flatten, smooth, or put into place or shape with light blows
3
: to tap or stroke gently with the hand to soothe, caress, or show approval

intransitive verb

: to strike or beat gently

pat

4 of 6

adjective

1
a
: exactly suited to the purpose or occasion : apt
b
: suspiciously appropriate : contrived
a pat ending
2
: learned, mastered, or memorized exactly
3
4
: reduced to a simple or mechanical form : standard, trite
pat answers

pat

5 of 6

abbreviation (1)

patent

PAT

6 of 6

abbreviation (2)

point after touchdown
Phrases
pat on the back
: an expression of approval

Examples of pat in a Sentence

Noun She gave the dog a quick pat. Adverb after months of practicing for the competition, the cheerleaders have their moves down pat Verb The child gently patted the dog's head. He patted my knee and told me everything would be fine. He patted his hair down. She patted the dough into a square. He patted the lettuce dry with a paper towel. Adjective The movie's pat ending was a disappointment. His explanation was too pat to be believable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Using your hands, gently pat and form sausage mixture into 30 (1/4-cup) balls, about 2 inches in diameter (do not roll); set aside. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025 The embrace ended with Daboll giving Dart an exuberant pat on the head. Dan Duggan, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
The 2016 draft was the last time the Bengals stayed pat through all seven rounds. Tyler Dragon, Cincinnati.com, 21 Apr. 2020 To use, soak the disc about 15 minutes, pat dry, and snap in place. Jean Kressy, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Sep. 2019
Verb
The clip, shared by Sarah Ingle (@saraheingle), a dedicated dog fosterer, shows seven-month-old Cookie Crisps nestled in her arms while Ingle gently pats her bottom. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 Both teams patted the star wideout on the back after he was loaded onto the cart. Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The film stars Oscar winner Brendan Fraser as Phillip Vandarploeug, an ex-pat American actor living in Tokyo. Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025 The story was too pat, too earnest, too self-flattering. Literary Hub, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pat

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English patte, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1578, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pat was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pat. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

pat

1 of 3 noun
1
: a light blow especially with the hand or a flat instrument
2
: a light tapping sound
3
: something (as butter) shaped into a small flat portion

pat

2 of 3 verb
patted; patting
1
: to strike lightly with the hand or a flat instrument : strike or beat gently
2
: to flatten, smooth, or shape with pats
3
: to tap or stroke gently with the hand to soothe or to show affection or approval

pat

3 of 3 adjective
patter; pattest
1
: exactly suited : apt, timely
a pat answer
2
: learned exactly
have a lesson down pat
3

Medical Definition

PAT

abbreviation
paroxysmal atrial tachycardia

More from Merriam-Webster on pat

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