putty

1 of 2

noun

put·​ty ˈpə-tē 

plural putties

1

a

: a doughlike material typically made of whiting and linseed oil that is used especially to fasten glass in window frames and to fill crevices in woodwork

b

: any of various substances resembling putty in appearance, consistency, or use

2

: a light brownish-gray to light grayish-brown color

3

: one who is easily manipulated

is putty in her hands

puttyless adjective

puttylike adjective

putty

2 of 2

verb

puttied; puttying

transitive verb

: to use putty on or apply putty to

Examples of putty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Use caulk, putty, or weatherstripping materials to seal gaps. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 June 2026

No air-conditioning, no insulation, its charm blunted by DIY additions, discount drywall, generations of putty and steel wool stuffed into varmint tunnels. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026

Verb

But that is not the only reason Yulia Kapustienko comes to the fire department every morning to putty the walls. — Hanna Arhirova, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2022

The framing is a little flabby, as the flashbacks slowly putty in how the outspoken woman might have become a murder target. — Brian Lowry, CNN, 28 Apr. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French potée potter's glaze, literally, potful, from Old French, from pot pot — more at pottage

First Known Use

Noun

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing putty

• putty in someone's hands
• putty knife

Rhymes for putty

• cutty
• nutty

Kids Definition

putty

1 of 2 noun

put·​ty ˈpət-ē 

plural putties

: a soft cement (as for holding glass in a window frame)

putty

2 of 2 verb

puttied; puttying

: to cement or seal up with putty