pet English · revision 5147
16 Oct 2026, 01:42 by bogdan “en10k b0189: assessment … suffer” current version
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+ Pet, an animal kept for company, and pet, a fit of sulking, are probably different words, both of uncertain origin.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /pet/^(Roach et al. 2011)
+
+ {{homograph|1|animal}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1508|origins=gd peata}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ Its origin is uncertain.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It began as a Scottish and northern English word, and Hoad and Word Origins derive it from Gaelic, comparing Scottish Gaelic and Irish peata “tame animal”.^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Etymonline) Barnhart and MWU suggest a connection with [[petty]], Middle English pety “small”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ An indulged child: 1508 in the OED, MWU and Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) An animal kept as a favourite is from 1539, perhaps the primary sense, and in early use it was typically a lamb reared by hand.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The word was used only in Scotland and the north of England until the mid-18th century,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) when it spread south to any animal kept for company.^(Cresswell 2021) A favourite person is from 1755,^(OED 1989) and a term of endearment from 1849.^(OED 1989) The adjective, kept as a pet, is from 1584,^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) and ''pet'' of a thing, favourite, as in ''pet project'', from 1826.^(OED 1989) The verb, to treat as a pet, is from 1629,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) to stroke from 1818,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and the slang “to kiss and caress” from 1920.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1508 – an indulged child.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1539 – a pet animal.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1584 – adjective.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1629 – verb, to indulge.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1818 – to stroke.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1920 – to kiss and caress.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # An animal kept at home for company or pleasure.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # A person treated as a favourite.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # ''(British, informal)'' A term of [[affection]].^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Kept as a pet: ''a pet rabbit''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # Specially liked or cared about: ''a pet subject''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ===Verb===
+ # To stroke an animal or person gently.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # ''(informal)'' To kiss and touch sexually.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ {{homograph|2|sulk}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=1590}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is of unknown origin.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) It may be from pet “indulged child”, as the sulking of a spoiled child,^(Etymonline) but the OED notes that it seems to have been a southern English word, while the other pet was northern.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Offence at being slighted, in the phrase ''take the pet'': 1590 in the OED and Barnhart, the 1580s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ ''In a pet'' is from 1647.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Pettish'', peevish, is from the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1590 – ''take the pet''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1647 – ''in a pet''.^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A fit of bad temper or sulking.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[petty]]
+ * [[pettish]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}