pet
LatinVariants
Related Roots
About This Root
From Latin petere (to seek, aim at, rush toward, attack). Remarkably versatile: compete (seek together/against), petition (a formal seeking), appetite (seeking toward food), repeat (seek again), perpetual (seeking through all time), impetus (a driving force aimed forward). The variant pit- appears in Old French-derived forms.
Associated Words
appetite
A desire to eat; any strong craving or longing
appetizer
A small dish served before a meal to stimulate the appetite
appetizing
Appealing to the appetite; tempting
centripetal
Directed or moving towards a centre
compete
To take part in a contest or rivalry against others
competence
The ability or skill needed to do something successfully
competent
Having sufficient skill or knowledge to do something well
competently
In a skilled and capable manner
competing
Rivalling or conflicting with each other
competition
The action of competing
competitive
Relating to competition; having a strong desire to win
competitively
In a competitive manner
competitiveness
The quality of being eager and able to compete successfully
competitor
A person or organization competing against others
impetuosity
The tendency to act rashly and impulsively
impetuous
Acting impulsively and forcefully without careful thought
impetuously
In a hasty, impulsive manner
impetus
A driving force or stimulus that encourages progress
incompetence
Lack of ability or skill to do something properly
incompetent
Lacking the skill or ability to do something properly
incompetently
In an incompetent or inept manner
interdependence
The state of depending on each other mutually
perpetual
Lasting forever or continuing without interruption
perpetually
Continuously and without end
perpetuate
To cause something to continue indefinitely or be preserved
perpetuation
The act of making something continue indefinitely
petition
A formal written request to an authority; to make such a request
petitioner
A person who presents a petition to a court or authority
pettish
Easily irritated or bad-tempered; peevish
petulance
Childish irritability or sulkiness
petulant
Childishly irritable or sulky
pitiful
Deserving pity; so poor or inadequate as to be contemptible
propitiate
To appease or win the favour of someone, especially a god
propitious
Favourable; indicating a good chance of success
repeat
To do or say something again; something that happens again
repeated
Done or occurring more than once
repetition
The act of doing or saying something again
repetitive
Involving frequent, often tedious repetition
uncompetitive
Lacking the ability to compete successfully