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

One crawled in and settled down, and turned the petcock that inflated the cover.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• spigot
• valve