petcock

or pet cock

[ pet-kok ]

noun

1. a small valve or faucet, as for draining off excess or waste material from the cylinder of a steam engine or an internal-combustion engine.

petcock

/ ˈpɛtˌkɒk /

noun

1. a small valve for checking the water level in a steam boiler or draining condensed steam from the cylinder of a steam engine

Word History and Origins

Origin of petcock¹

1860–65; pet, perhaps < French pet ( petard ) + cock ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of petcock¹

C19: from pet ¹or perhaps French pet, from péter to break wind + cock ¹

Example Sentences

Unlike the Revel, it broke down constantly, teaching me new vocabulary words like “idle jet,” “petcock” and “lean oil mixture.”

From New York Times

A mechanic discovered that the car’s petcock - a small valve at the bottom of the radiator - had been loosened, and the water had leaked out.

From Washington Times

A mechanic discovered that the car’s petcock — a small valve at the bottom of the radiator — had been loosened, and the water had leaked out.

From Seattle Times

Once that has been solidly coursing for 10 minutes, cap the vent with the petcock.

From Washington Post

Let’s start with the elephant, a.k.a. the pressure canner: hulking and heavy with gaskets, dials, clamps and something called a petcock.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• spigot
• valve