Definition
Past tense of pat; to touch gently and repeatedly with the palm of your hand.
Etymology
From Middle English 'patten,' possibly imitative in origin, mimicking the sound or action of gentle tapping. First appeared in English in the 15th century.
Kelly Says
The word 'pat' might be onomatopoeia—it literally sounds like the action it describes, which is why many languages have similar-sounding words for the same gentle tapping motion!
Translations
CSČeština
pokecal
po-ka-cal
DADansk
klappede
klap-ped-e
DEDeutsch
gekämmt
geh-käm-t
ELΕλληνικά
σκέπασε
ske-pa-se
ESEspañol
acarició
ah-ka-ree-oh
FAفارسی
تکان داد
te-kan da-ad
FISuomi
lypsitty
lyp-sit-ti
FRFrançais
tapeté
ta-pe-te
HIहिन्दी
पेट किया
pet ki-ya
HUMagyar
megsimogatott
meg-see-mo-gat-toht
IDBahasa Indonesia
dibelai
dee-bel-ai
ITItaliano
accarezzato
ah-ka-reh-tsa-toh
KO한국어
쓰다듬었다
sseu-da-deum-eo-sseo-da
MSBahasa Melayu
dibelai
dee-bel-ai
NLNederlands
aangestoken
an-ges-to-ken
PLPolski
poklepał
po-kle-pał
PTPortuguês
acariciou
ah-ka-ri-syoo
RORomână
așezat
ah-se-zat
RUРусский
погладил
po-gladi-l
SVSvenska
klappad
klap-pad
SWKiswahili
kufuliwa
koo-foo-lee-wa
TAதமிழ்
த் தடவிய
thad-dav-iya
TRTürkçe
ovundu
oh-vun-doo
UKУкраїнська
погладив
po-gladi-v
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Patting (especially on the head or back) has historically been a diminishing gesture toward women, infantilizing or trivializing their authority in professional/public contexts.
Inclusive Usage
Use patted neutrally for affection, but recognize context where it substitutes for respecting adult boundaries or agency.