# Are Pets Pets Because We Pet Them, or Do We Pet Them Because They're Pets?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 5, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253 "2004-12-05T19:55:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253/1 "2004-12-05T19:55:51Z")

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Which word is older, the noun “pet,” as in “companion animal”; or the verb “to pet,” meaning “to gently stroke”?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253/2 "2004-12-05T20:03:01Z")

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[The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition](http://www.bartleby.com/61/76/P0217600.html) says:

> [@](#):
>
> ETYMOLOGY: Scottish Gaelic peata, tame animal, pet, from Old Irish.

Looks like the noum form came first.

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**Author:** ![Grendel\_s\_Father](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grendel\_s\_Father](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grendel_s_Father)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253/3 "2004-12-05T20:04:13Z")

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> [@HeyHomie](#):
>
> Which word is older, the noun “pet,” as in “companion animal”; or the verb “to pet,” meaning “to gently stroke”?

According to the [Online Etymology Dictionary](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=p&p=12), the noun is first found in writing from 1539 while the verb is from 1629.

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253/4 "2004-12-06T00:15:54Z")

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> [@Grendel's Father](#):
>
> According to the [Online Etymology Dictionary](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=p&p=12), the noun is first found in writing from 1539 while the verb is from 1629.

The OED also notes that the related use of “pet” to mean “an indulged (and, usually, spoiled) child” dates back to 1508.

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**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pets-pets-because-we-pet-them-or-do-we-pet-them-because-theyre-pets/278253/5 "2004-12-06T00:20:22Z")

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I have never petted my pet pirahnas. Never. Does that make me a bad pet owner? :wally