Word Smart - Why do we call it 'a pet peeve?' The word “pet” has been used as an adjective since the late 16th century, originally referring to privately owned animals. In the 19th century, the meaning broadened to include things or beliefs we hold near and dear. Soon, people began using it ironically in terms such as “pet hatred” and “pet aversion.”
“Peevish,” meanwhile, is a 15th-century term used to describe things that evoke a feeling of spite or fretfulness. “Peeve” was created from “peevish” via back formation in the 20th century to fulfill a need for a term to describe personal annoyances.
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