pet
gb/pˈɛt/ us/pˈɛt/
A1
English
~ 1900
házi kedvenc, simogat, kedvenc, dédelgetett, kivételezett, különösen idegesítő dolog, vkinek a halála
NOUN
A1
1
házi kedvenc
A2
Usage pattern:
to have [a pet]
They have a pet rabbit named Snowball.
Házi kedvencként tartanak egy Snowball nevű nyuszit.
Owning a pet can improve your mood and reduce stress.
Ha házi kedvencet tartasz, javulhat a hangulatod, és csökkenhet a stressz.
Her pet parrot can imitate human speech.
The landlord does not allow any pets in the building.
Learner examples
I have a pet cat.
Van egy cicám.
She wants a pet dog.
Szeretne egy kutyát házi kedvencnek.
My pet is very small.
We love our pet fish.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pet' with 'animal' in general, but 'pet' refers specifically to animals kept by people for companionship.
Meaning
An animal kept for pleasure
Collocations
pet dog
|pet cat
|keep a pet
|pet owner
|pet shop
Synonyms
companion animal (More formal or technical term, often used in professional or legal contexts.)
Antonyms
wild animal (An animal living in nature without human care or training.)
Themes
daily life
|animals
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An animal you keep in your home for fun and friendship, not for work or food.
An animal that is kept in a home for companionship or enjoyment rather than for work or food.
VERB
A2
2
simogat
A2
Usage pattern:
to pet [an animal]
She loves to pet her dog after work.
Munka után szereti megsimogatni a kutyáját.
The children took turns petting the goat at the farm.
A gyerekek a gazdaságban felváltva simogatták a kecskét.
He bent down to pet the stray kitten.
Learner examples
I pet my cat every day.
Mindennap megsimogatom a macskámat.
She pets the dog softly.
Finoman simogatja a kutyát.
He likes to pet animals.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'pet' the verb with 'pat', but 'pat' means to touch quickly and lightly, while 'pet' often means longer, gentle strokes.
Meaning
To stroke an animal gently
Collocations
pet a dog
|pet the cat
|pet gently
Synonyms
stroke (Common in British English; can also refer to moving the hand gently over something other than animals.)
Antonyms
hit (To strike an animal, which is the opposite of gentle touching.)
Themes
daily life
|animals
|daily_life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To touch an animal softly with your hand to show love or kindness.
To touch or stroke an animal gently with your hand, usually to show affection.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
[someone's] pet [student/project/theory]
The teacher’s pet student always sat in the front row.
A tanár kedvenc diákja mindig az első sorban ült.
Climate change has become his pet cause.
Az éghajlatváltozás a szívügyévé vált.
This is my pet project at work.
Learner examples
This is my pet idea.
Ez a kedvenc ötletem.
He is the boss’s pet worker.
Ő a főnök kedvenc alkalmazottja.
That is her pet project.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'pet' always refers to animals, but as an adjective it means 'favorite' or 'special'.
Meaning
Specially favored or preferred
Collocations
pet project
|pet theory
|pet peeve
Synonyms
favorite (More general term for something liked most.)
Antonyms
neglected (Not given attention or care.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Liked more and treated better than others.
Given special attention, affection, or preference over others.
NOUN
B1
INFORMAL
4
One of my biggest pet peeves is people chewing loudly.
Az egyik legjobban idegesítő dolog számomra az, ha valaki hangosan rág.
Interrupting others is a common pet peeve.
Mások félbeszakítása sokak számára különösen idegesítő.
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink is her pet peeve.
Learner examples
My pet peeve is loud music at night.
Az éjszakai hangos zene a halálom.
Talking during movies is my pet peeve.
A halálom, amikor valaki beszél a film alatt.
His pet peeve is slow internet.
Common mistake:
Learners might misunderstand and think 'pet peeve' refers to animals; it actually means a personal annoyance.
Meaning
Something that annoys a person a lot
Collocations
pet peeve
Synonyms
annoyance (General term; not necessarily personal or habitual.)
Antonyms
pleasure (Something that gives enjoyment instead of irritation.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something small that often makes you annoyed.
A particular thing that someone finds especially irritating or annoying, usually used in the phrase 'pet peeve'.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pet
IPA
GB/pˈɛt/
US/pˈɛt/
Syllables & stress
pet (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pet)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pet
- Plural: pet, pets
Verb
- Base: pet
- 3rd Person Singular: pets
- Present Participle: petting
- Past: petted
Word family
Forms
pets
noun
petting
verb
petted
verb
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: petting Verb
- Irregular past: petted Verb
Expressions
pet peeve
1/pˈɛt pˈiv/
fixed phrase
informal
A small thing that annoys you a lot
Something small that often makes you annoyed.
Examples
- Chewing with your mouth open is my biggest pet peeve.
- Slow walkers are a real pet peeve of mine.
pet theory
1/pˈɛt θˈiɚi/
fixed phrase
A theory someone strongly believes in
An idea or explanation that someone likes and supports strongly, even if others disagree.
Examples
- Her pet theory is that dreams predict the future.
- He always brings up his pet theory about diet and health.
teacher's pet
1/tˈit͡ʃɚz pˈɛt/
fixed phrase
informal
Student liked best by the teacher
A student who is liked more by the teacher than others, often because they try to please them.
Examples
- Everyone teased him for being the teacher's pet.
- She became the teacher's pet by always helping in class.
pet project
1/pˈɛt pɹˈɑd͡ʒɛkt/
fixed phrase
A project someone cares about most
A project someone likes very much and gives special attention to.
Examples
- The new park is the mayor's pet project.
- The playground renovation is the mayor's pet project.
- Restoring old cars has been his pet project for years.
- She spent years working on her pet project.
pet project
2/pˈɛt pɹˈɑd͡ʒɛkt/
fixed phrase
informal
Favorite personal project
A project that someone likes very much and spends extra time on, even if it is not important to others.
Examples
- Restoring the old car has become his pet project.
- She spends hours on her pet project every weekend.