Words Beginning with "Pet" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pettiness

"Petty" as an adjective can describe anything that is rather insignificant or trifling in nature, such as "She worried incessantly about petty details such as how far apart the spoons should be on the table, and whether the leaves of the flower arrangements should be higher or lower". If applied to a person, it indicates someone who is mean-spirited, nasty or narrow-minded, such as "Their lips pursed tightly into their accustomed judgemental lines as they stared at the happy young girls full of life and beauty walking down the street. 'Tarts, all of them' they rasped to each other, 'They'll all be pregnant before they're sixteen'."

Answer: Petroleum

Petroleum, also known as crude oil, is located in formations beneath the surface of the earth and is obtained, for the most part, via drilling processes. From there it is refined into products such as gasoline (petrol in this country) or kerosene or various agents used in the manufacture of other consumer goods.

It's a necessary evil used to keep a hungry world humming along until other alternatives can be found. Interestingly, it has been used by mankind, in one form or another, for thousands of years.

These included medicinal and illumination purposes and its by-product, asphalt, which was used, according to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, in the construction of the buildings and walls of Babylon. History is just so endlessly fascinating.

Answer: Petals

Petals are various coloured, beautiful leaves of different shapes and sizes that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. As a group they're referred to as corolla, and of course, have many other botanical and Latin-sounding names than the one asked for in this question.

But for your average person in the street, they're just lovely petals. Try looking closely at them some time for a unique perspective on the wonders of nature.

Answer: Petition

A petition is a document relating to some cause, or need, or requested action that is presented to any organisation which holds the power to grant or deny that cause, need or action. It usually comes with many signatures from those with the most to gain from its granting of denial. The content of petitions can range from the insignificant to the life-altering.

Answer: Petrel

Petrels are sea birds with up to four different family groups. They have been around, as fossils indicate, for at least sixty million years. All petrels spend their lives on the water, returning to land only for breeding purposes. Now, this is interesting: The word "Petrel" springs from the original meaning of the Latin word for Saint Peter, who, for those of you who know your biblical history, walked on water towards Jesus. That is, until he doubted.

Then he began to sink and had to be saved by the Lord. Is that a parable or what? The way that petrels hover so closely to the surface of the water also makes it appear as though they too are walking on water.

Answer: Petticoat

Petticoats have been greatly replaced today, if used at all, by dresses and gowns with lining instead. Several hundred years ago, they were was a type of undercoat which were worn, with strategic laces and bows showing, under open dresses. By Victorian days, women were wearing huge and voluminous petticoats under their gowns to swell them out gracefully as they tripped daintily along.

The twentieth century saw petticoats become much lighter and thinner and sleeveless. They were then worn more for warmth or to give a skirt a slight fullness - with the exception of the 1950s and the layers of petticoats worn by the girls such as those seen in the 1978 movie "Grease". Today, I'm not sure if girls have even heard of petticoats at all.

Answer: Pettifogger

This is a somewhat dated term that is applied to anyone who nitpicks and argues over the smallest details and who can cause unnecessary delay in any project or event. As an example, I once had a boss like that. He'd argue over the sum of two cents in the price of any two commodities, hold up meetings for hours debating insignificant points, and walk around the office staring at the floor to see whether any pins had been dropped because those pins (in spite of hundreds of them in various trays on desks) could be important one day.

Answer: Petty Officer

This is a rank that is equal to a sergeant in the army or air force. Its use dates back to the times of the sailing ships. Their status and authority fits in between officers and ordinary seamen.

Answer: Petri Dish

Petri dishes are used in microbiology work. The dish is filled with fluid containing agar, and then various substances such as dyes or acids are added, depending on the purpose for which they are to be used. After the agar solidifies, the dish is ready to receive whatever culture is being tested or cultivated.

Answer: Petrifying

This is a descriptive word used to describe an experience or event that inspires great terror in whomever experiences it. It is a term used also in geology when any organic substance, such as wood, has turned into stone over a vast period of time. It would then be described by laymen as petrified wood.