# pet

/ˈpɛt/ (US) · /pˈɛt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pet
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. companion animal

noun · CEFR A2

an animal that you keep at home for company and pleasure, not for work.

For teachers: a domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure rather than utility.

- She has two pets: a small ginger cat and a very friendly golden retriever.
- While some people prefer exotic pets like reptiles, the majority of households opt for traditional companions such as dogs or cats.

### 2. favorite person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person who is treated better than others by someone in authority.

For teachers: a person who is treated with particular favor or indulgence by a superior, often causing resentment in others.

- Everyone knew that Sarah was the teacher's pet because she always got the best jobs.
- The manager was accused of having a teacher's pet after he consistently assigned the most lucrative accounts to the same junior associate.

### 3. term of endearment

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Dialect

a friendly name you call someone you like, similar to 'dear' or 'love'.

For teachers: a term of endearment used to address a person, particularly common in certain regional dialects.

- Don't worry about the rain, pet, we'll be home soon.
- In parts of North East England, it is perfectly normal for a shopkeeper to address a customer as 'pet' regardless of their age.

### 6. to stroke an animal

verb · CEFR A2

to touch or rub an animal in a gentle and kind way.

For teachers: to stroke or fondle an animal gently. Transitive, requiring a direct object.

- The children loved to pet the rabbits at the farm.
- The therapy dog sat calmly, allowing the stressed students to pet its soft fur during the exam break.

### 7. romantic touching

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to touch or kiss someone in a romantic or sexual way.

For teachers: to engage in amorous stroking or fondling of another person. Often used in the context of 'heavy petting'.

- The young couple were petting on the back row of the cinema.
- The film was criticized for a scene involving heavy petting that many felt was unnecessary for the plot.

### 8. favorite project/theory

adjective · CEFR B2

describes a project, idea, or subject that you are very interested in.

For teachers: denoting a particular subject, theory, or project that is a special favorite. Always used before a noun.

- The professor spent years working on his pet theory about the origin of the universe.
- The senator refused to cut funding for his pet project, even when the rest of the budget was being slashed.

## Examples

- I have a small pet cat named Luna.
- Many apartment buildings have strict rules about which kinds of pets residents are allowed to keep.
- While dogs remain the most popular choice, many people find that smaller pets like hamsters or guinea pigs are better suited to urban living environments.

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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.