puppy

[ puhp-ee ]

noun

, plural pup·pies.

1. a young dog, especially one less than a year old.
2. Fox Hunting. a foxhound that has hunted regularly for less than one season.
3. pup ( def 2 ).
4. a presuming, conceited, or empty-headed young man.

puppy

/ ˈpʌpɪ /

noun

1. a young dog; pup
2. informal.
   a brash or conceited young man; pup

Derived Forms

• ˈpuppyˌhood, noun
• ˈpuppyish, adjective

Other Words From

• puppy·hood puppy·dom noun
• puppy·ish adjective
• puppy·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of puppy¹

First recorded in 1480–90; earlier popi; puppet, -y ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of puppy¹

C15 popi, from Old French popée doll; compare puppet

Example Sentences

Noem has had a tumultuous year, facing immense amount of backlash for revealing in her memoir that she killed her 14-month-old puppy, later claiming it was a danger to her children.

From Salon

Puppies were living their best puppy lives, blissfully unaware of any political upheaval.

From Salon

Tim Stafford, director of canine affairs, said the organisation works hard to socialise their puppies and expose them to firework sounds through recordings.

From BBC

According to a poll of customers, that spot is now held by Cinnamoroll - a blue-eyed white puppy with pink cheeks, long ears and a tail that looks like a Cinnamon roll.

From BBC

Many dogs were sourced from out-of-state puppy mills, leaving some new owners with sick pets and costly veterinary bills.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dog
• pup
• whelp