pet

1 of 2

verb (1)

petted; petting

transitive verb

1

a

: to treat as a pet

b

: to stroke in a gentle or loving manner

2

: to treat with unusual kindness and consideration : pamper

intransitive verb

: to engage in amorous embracing, caressing, and kissing : neck

petter noun

pet

2 of 2

verb (2)

petted; petting

intransitive verb

: to take offense : sulk

Synonyms of pet

Verb (1)

• pat
• stroke
• caress

Examples of pet in a Sentence

Verb (1)

a cat who loves to be petted

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That could be a hug from grandma, the chance to pet a really good dog, an icy cold glass of sweet tea, or an extra special treat. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 29 May 2026

Feed pets indoors, remove birdseed, and avoid feeding squirrels. —Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 18 May 2026

Do not try to pet or feed the fawn, and keep children and pets at a safe distance. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 13 May 2026

Sam and Katie Larimer of Lake Bluff brought their daughter Rosie, 2, who spent some time petting Squeeze. —Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1629, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1629, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pet

• family pet
• in a pet
• pet hate
• pet name
• pet peeve
• teacher's pet

Rhymes for pet

• bet
• brett
• debt
• et
• fret
• get
• jet
• let
• lett
• met
• net
• nett

Kids Definition

pet

1 of 4 noun

ˈpet 

1

: someone given special treatment or consideration

teacher's pet

2

: a tame animal kept for pleasure rather than for use

pet

2 of 4 adjective

1

: kept or treated as a pet

a pet rabbit

2

: showing fondness

a pet name

3

: favorite entry 2

my pet project

pet

3 of 4 verb

petted; petting

1

: fondle, caress

2

: to treat as a pet : pamper

3

: to engage in embracing, caressing, and kissing

pet

4 of 4 noun

: a spell of sulkiness or anger

Medical Definition

PET

abbreviation

positron-emission tomography