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companion animal

American  
[kuhm-pan-yuhn an-uh-muhl] / kəmˈpæn yən ˌæn ə məl /

noun

  1. pet.


companion animal British  

noun

  1. an animal kept as a pet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of companion animal

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Veronika is a Swiss Brown cow who lives as a companion animal rather than being raised for food production.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

While revenue for companion animal products—those meant for dogs, cats, and horses—rose 3% in the third quarter from a year earlier, livestock revenue dropped 4%.

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

Cat Lady: The attachment to a companion animal is real and valid and warrants consideration, but yours does not get priority over your sister-in-law’s attachment to breathing.

From Washington Post • Mar. 5, 2023

"Subsequent testing of humans and hamsters confirmed that there was transmission of Covid-19 from hamsters to humans," Vanessa Barrs, a professor of companion animal health at the City University of Hong Kong told the BBC.

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2023

The province of the god as a deity of flocks is thought to be attested by his favourite companion animal the ram, which often stood beside him in works of art.*

From Myth, Ritual And Religion, Vol. 2 (of 2) by Lang, Andrew

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