verb (used with object)
- to treat or gratify with extreme or excessive indulgence, kindness, or care: to pamper a child; to pamper one’s stomach.
- Archaic. to overfeed, especially with very rich food; glut.
verb (tr)
- to treat with affectionate and usually excessive indulgence; coddle; spoil
- archaic to feed to excess
v.late 14c., “to cram with food,” probably from Middle Dutch (cf. West Flemish pamperen “cram with food, overindulge;” dialectal German pampen “to cram”), probably from frequentative of root of pap (n.1). Meaning “to overindulge” first attested 1520s. Related: Pampered; pampering.