puppy
/ˈpʌpi/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.00 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A young dog, especially before sexual maturity (12–18 months).
noun
A dog with a youthful appearance, or any dog.
Example Sentences
- "Unclasp your bra and set those puppies free."
- "I have another two dozen of these puppies to finish before I can go home."
- "I found my place taken by an ill-bred, awkward puppy with a money bag under each arm."
- "I ne'r vvith VVits and VVitlings paſt my days, / To ſpread about the Itch of Verſe and Praiſe, / Nor like a Puppy daggled thro' the Tovvn, / To fetch and carry Sing-ſong up and dovvn; […]"
- "I think him a very handsome young man, and his manners are precisely what I like and approve—so truly the gentleman, without the least conceit or puppyism. You must know I have a vast dislike to puppies—quite a horror of them."
Etymology
From earlier puppie (“a woman's pet dog”), of uncertain origin, but probably from Middle English *puppee, *poupee, from Old French poupée, popée (“a doll; puppet”). More at puppet. Mostly displaced native Middle English whelp (“puppy”), from Old English hwelp, whence Modern English whelp and whelpie.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈpʌpi/
- British English: /ˈpʌpi/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
bumble puppy
common mudpuppy
common mud puppy
dog puppy
forest puppy
Hush Puppies
hush puppy
mud puppy