pet peeve: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-HighInformal
Quick answer
What does “pet peeve” mean?
A particular, minor annoyance that a person finds especially irritating.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A particular, minor annoyance that a person finds especially irritating.
A specific and often recurring nuisance or source of aggravation that disproportionately bothers an individual, often seen as trivial by others.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is essentially identical in both varieties. The term is equally common and understood. Spelling remains the same.
Connotations
Lightly humorous, self-deprecating, or mildly complaining. It acknowledges the issue is minor but personally grating.
Frequency
Very common in both AmE and BrE. Slightly more lexicalised as a fixed compound in AmE, but the difference is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “pet peeve” in a Sentence
X is my pet peeveOne of my pet peeves is XIt's a pet peeve of mine when XVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used informally to discuss workplace irritants (e.g., 'My pet peeve is vague meeting invites.'). Not for formal reports.
Academic
Rare; used only in informal discourse between colleagues or students.
Everyday
Primary domain of use. Common in conversation about personal preferences and minor frustrations.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pet peeve”
- Using it for serious issues (e.g., 'War is my pet peeve').
- Saying 'pet peave' (misspelling).
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'It really pet peeves me' is non-standard; use 'irritates' or 'annoys').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, by definition it is a minor or trivial annoyance, though it may feel significant to the individual. Serious issues like injustice or major inconveniences are not described this way.
No, it is only a noun phrase. You cannot say 'That pet peeves me.' Instead, say 'That is a pet peeve of mine' or 'That irritates/annoys me.'
'Peeve' is an early 20th-century back-formation from the adjective 'peevish,' meaning easily irritated. A 'pet' peeve is thus an annoyance one has adopted or nurtured.
They are very close synonyms. 'Bugbear' can sometimes imply a source of fear or dread as well as annoyance, and may sound slightly more formal or old-fashioned than the very colloquial 'pet peeve.'
A particular, minor annoyance that a person finds especially irritating.
Pet peeve is usually informal in register.
Pet peeve: in British English it is pronounced /ˌpet ˈpiːv/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌpet ˈpiːv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It really gets my goat (similar concept, stronger emotion)”
- “A thorn in my side (stronger, more persistent)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a small, pampered PET (like a dog) that you love to PEEVE (annoy) by doing one specific thing. Your 'pet peeve' is the thing you love to be annoyed by (figuratively).
Conceptual Metaphor
ANNOYANCE IS A POSSESSION / ANNOYANCE IS A PET (Something you own, nurture, and are familiar with, but which can be bothersome.)
Practice
Quiz
Which situation best describes a 'pet peeve'?