petting
Americannoun
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the act of fondling or caressing.
Petting or massage may help calm a stressed or hyperactive dog.
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Informal. kissing, caressing, and other sexual activity between partners that does not involve sexual intercourse.
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the present participle of pet.
Etymology
Origin of petting
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.
After building many homes in the Houston suburbs, Lorenzo Salgado finally built his own, where he would sit every evening after work, listening to music and petting his dog, Ronaldo Salgado said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
“The Knicks just won a championship, we were so happy,” she yells out, petting her dog.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Capybaras occasionally wander into the café, though petting them isn’t allowed.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
Michael, then aged four, was among more than 80 people who fell ill with cryptosporidiosis, a stomach infection caused by the cryptosporidium parasite, linked to a petting farm in April 2025.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
"Meet me at my house at four o'clock. When we get to the petting zoo, I'll tell you the answer to the mystery."
From "Pony Problems: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #3" by Carolyn Keene
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
