A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.
Contents |
Its first usage was around 1919.[1][2] The term is a back-formation from the 14th-century word peevish, meaning "ornery or ill-tempered."[1]
Pet peeves often involve specific behaviors of someone close, such as a spouse or significant other.[3] These behaviors may involve disrespect, manners, personal hygiene, relationships, and family issues.[4]
A key aspect of a pet peeve is that it may well seem acceptable to others. For example, a supervisor may have a pet peeve about people leaving the lid on the copier up and react angrily, be annoyed when others interrupt when speaking, or by messy desks of his or her subordinates.[5] That same supervisor may witness employees coming into work late, and not feel any annoyance whatsoever.