a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
"She brought her pet to the park, where it happily chased its tail in the grass."
a fit of petulance or sulkiness (especially at what is felt to be a slight)
"After he forgot her birthday, she spent the whole evening in a pet over his carelessness."
using a computerized radiographic technique to examine the metabolic activity in various tissues (especially in the brain)
"The doctor used PET scanning to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease by examining metabolic activity in the patient's brain."
Initialism of polyethylene terephthalate.
"The mother cooed over her daughter, calling her sweet pet while she fixed her hair."
An animal kept as a companion.
A fit of petulance, a sulk, arising from the impression that one has been offended or slighted.
Abbreviation of petition.
A term of endearment usually applied to women and children.
In plain English: A pet is an animal that people keep as a companion inside their home.
"She brought her small dog to the park for some exercise after school."
stroke or caress in an erotic manner, as during lovemaking
"He gently pet her thigh with a slow, rhythmic motion that only heightened their passion."
To stroke or fondle (an animal).
"She gently petted the cat behind its ears as it purred contentedly on her lap."
In plain English: To pet means to stroke an animal's fur with your hand as a sign of affection.
"She likes to pet her cat every afternoon after work."
Favourite; cherished; the focus of one's (usually positive) attention.
"After years of neglect, the stray dog became everyone's favorite pet in the neighborhood."
In plain English: A pet is something that belongs to you and lives with your family, not an adjective describing anything else.
"The old man played with his pet dog every afternoon in the park."
The word "pet" comes from Scots and Scottish Gaelic, where it originally meant a tamed animal or a spoiled child. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, though it may stem from a pre-Indo-European language.