pup

1 of 2

noun

ˈpəp 

1

: a young dog

also : one of the young of various animals (such as a seal or rat)

2

: offset sense 2a

pup

2 of 2

verb

pupped; pupping

intransitive verb

: to give birth to pups

Examples of pup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mark Garcia, of Irvine, who won second place in the amateur category, found a mother harbor seal with her pup on a lazy afternoon at Treasure Island Beach. — Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2026

When the pups are one-third the size of the parent plant, cut them off with a knife and pot them up separately. — Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Aug. 2026

Verb

Inside, you’ll be greeted by Libby, the resident pup, and stacks of fabulous titles lining the walls. — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026

Every evening, pups are invited to join Yappy Hour, where pup cups, homemade treats and communal toys await. — Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for puppy

First Known Use

Noun

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1708, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pup

• buy a pup
• pup tent
• sell a pup

Rhymes for pup

• cup
• sup
• up
• yup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup

Kids Definition

pup

noun

ˈpəp

: puppy

also : one of the young of various animals (as a seal or rat)