paddy

1 of 2

noun (1)

pad·​dy ˈpa-dē 

variants or less commonly padi

plural paddies also padis

1

: rice

especially : threshed unmilled rice

2

: wet land in which rice is grown

Paddy

2 of 2

noun (2)

Pad·​dy ˈpa-dē 

plural Paddies

slang, often disparaging + offensive

: irishman

Examples of paddy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wartime tunnels and bunkers Before 1965, Vịnh Mốc was a tranquil fishing village in central Vietnam, with a lush landscape of rice paddies, bamboo thickets and golden beaches. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026

The rich landscape gives rise to diverse flavors, from rice paddies in the plains and orange groves in the valleys to grapevines in the countryside. — Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026

Fireflies flash from bush to bush, hanging on the pitch dark bamboo hedge far away; frogs in the ponds and rice paddies try to outdo one another with their hoarse songs. — Phong Nguyen, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Vietnam Nestled in Vietnam’s northern mountains, Sapa dazzles with emerald rice paddies dotted across undulating green hills. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Malay padi

Noun (2)

from Paddy, Hiberno-English nickname for Patrick

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1714, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paddy

• addy
• caddie
• caddy
• daddy
• gaddi
• laddie
• granddaddy

Kids Definition

paddy

noun

pad·​dy ˈpad-ē 

plural paddies

: wet land in which rice is grown