A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that can instill extreme frustration in an individual. Typically each person has several pet peeves that aggravate him more than the average person. Another person may not react as negatively or at all to the same circumstance.
The term originated from the word 'peeve.' A 'peeve,' meaning something that is particularly irritating or annoying, is a relatively recent word. Its first printed usage was in 1911. The term is a back formation from a 14th-century word: 'peevish,' meaning ornery or ill-tempered.
The phrase 'pet peeve,' a uniquely personal irritant, first appeared in print in the early 20th century.
Pet peeves are typically of common occurrences and a person may encounter their pet peeve very often. Pet peeves involve complaints about specific behaviors, rather than general complaining. Pet peeves often involve specific behaviors of someone close such as a spouse or significant other. These behaviors may include those of disrespect, those involving manners, personal hygiene, relationships, and family issues. An example of a pet peeve involving disrespect is someone not using their turn signal while driving; while some drivers feel frustrated when another driver does not use their turn signal, other drivers do not care very much, or consider something else, such as cellphone usage while driving more annoying. Many pet peeves associated with driving can result in road rage, where the person who feels peeved seeks some sort of retribution for the action. Road Rage itself is considered a pet peeve by many.
Often a pet peeve will seem illogical 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 their subordinates. That same supervisor may witness employees coming into work late, and not feel any annoyance whatsoever.