Pat means to touch something gently with your hand, usually in a light, repetitive way. You might pat a dog on the head to show affection, pat a friend on the back to congratulate them, or pat your pockets to check if your keys are there. The motion is soft and controlled, neither a full stroke nor a hard slap.

When you pat something dry, like patting your face with a towel after washing it, you press gently rather than rubbing. Cooks pat chicken or fish dry with paper towels before cooking to help them brown better.

The word also describes something that feels too simple or rehearsed. A pat answer is one that sounds automatic, like someone giving the same response they've given a hundred times without really thinking about it. When a teacher asks a thoughtful question and a student gives a pat answer, it might be technically correct but lacks depth or genuine consideration. Similarly, a pat solution to a complicated problem might sound good at first but doesn't actually address what's really going on.

As a noun, a pat is the gentle touch itself: “He gave the horse a reassuring pat on the neck.”