# peeve

/ˈpiv/ (US) · /pˈiːv/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/peeve
Updated: 2026-05-25

## Definition

a small thing that makes you feel slightly annoyed or frustrated. It is usually not a big problem, but it can be very irritating.

For teachers: a minor source of irritation or annoyance. Often used to describe a small, persistent annoyance that is not serious in itself.

## Examples

- My biggest peeve is when people leave their wet towels on the floor.
- While the car's performance is excellent, the driver's only peeve is the loud noise the air conditioning makes.
- The manager's primary peeve was the constant stream of minor complaints from the staff, which he felt were distracting from the more significant operational challenges the company faced.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.