canoodle

verb

ca·​noo·​dle kə-ˈnü-dᵊl 

canoodled; canoodling kə-ˈnü-dliŋ  -ˈnü-dᵊl-iŋ  ; canoodles

intransitive verb

informal

: to engage in amorous embracing, caressing, and kissing : pet, fondle

lovers canoodling in the park

… used to sit in the sun porch in the evening, among the geraniums and the begonias, whispering, holding hands, canoodling.

—Edna O'Brien

… widows in their sixties canoodle and exchange sweet nothings with boys a third of their age.

—Matthew Gwyther

Did you know?

The Foolish History of Canoodle

The origins of canoodle are obscure. Our best guess is that it may come from an English dialect noun of the same spelling meaning "donkey," "fool," or "foolish lover," which itself may be an alteration of the word noodle, meaning "a foolish person." That noodle, in turn, may come from noddle, a word for the head. The guess seems reasonable given that, since its appearance in the language around the mid-19th century, canoodle has been most often used jocularly for playful public displays of affection by couples who are head over heels in love.

Examples of canoodle in a Sentence

Two lovers were canoodling on a park bench.

Recent Examples on the Web

The footage of Byron and Cabot canoodling quickly went viral, with the original video amassing more than 45 million views on TikTok and millions more in reposts across other platforms. —Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025

What To Know On July 26, Astronomer shared a light-hearted marketing video which capitalizes on the attention that has been brought to the company since the now infamous Coldplay canoodling. —Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 July 2025

The previously non-famous tech CEO was caught canoodling last week with his company’s HR chief, Kristin Cabot — a woman who is not his wife — on the jumbotron at a Coldplay concert in Boston, in an image called out by frontman Chris Martin. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 22 July 2025

Who is the lady who was caught canoodling with the Phillies Phanatic at the Phillies game on Friday night? —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 19 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from English dialect canoodle, noun, donkey, fool, foolish lover

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for canoodle

• boodle
• doodle
• feudal
• noodle
• poodle

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!