poodle

American  

[pood-l] / ˈpud l /

noun

1. one of a breed of notably intelligent dogs, having thick frizzy or curly hair usually trimmed in standard patterns, and occurring in three varieties (standard poodle, miniature poodle, andtoy poodle ) that differ in size.

   What I miss most about our old place are the six big poodles who live at the herb farm next door.

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poodle British  

/ ˈpuːdəl /

noun

1. a breed of dog, with varieties of different sizes, having curly hair, which is often clipped from ribs to tail for showing: originally bred to hunt waterfowl

2. a person who is servile; lackey

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Etymology

Origin of poodle

First recorded in 1770–75; from German Pudel, short for Pudelhund, equivalent to pudel(n) “to splash” + Hund “dog”; see puddle, hound ¹

Compare meaning

How does poodle compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Bichon Frise vs. poodle

Explanation

A poodle is an intelligent dog with a densely coiled coat. Although they're commonly referred to as French poodles, the breed actually originated in Germany. Poodle comes from the German Pudelhund, "water dog," and its root pudel, "puddle." And while the poodle is the national dog of France, it's known as a caniche in French, or “duck dog.” Poodles are smart, active dogs that were bred to retrieve from water. Some poodles have exaggerated haircuts, with round tufts of hair on their heads, ankles, and tails. Many people with dog allergies find they can tolerate poodles, adding to the breed's popularity.

Example Sentences

It added that when a cocker spaniel was bred with a poodle, those characteristics - combined with them having smaller crossbred offspring - could result in more problem behaviour.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

I have two dogs: a 120-pound Great Pyrenees-Border Collie-German Shepherd mix, and then at the other end of the spectrum, a seven-pound poodle mix.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

As a Californian, I’ve always connected with his storytelling, and this story of a cross-country road trip with his poodle brings the vast variety of American life into perspective.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

The poodle had become timid and was reluctant to leave Lee's side.

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

I know that a poodle looks very like a buck deer to one of these hunters, and I had to find some way of protecting him.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• beagle