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

Katy Perry and former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau were spotted kissing and canoodling on the singer’s yacht over the weekend, reigniting romance rumors that had seemed to fizzle out with the summer. —New York Daily News, Boston Herald, 13 Oct. 2025

One was watching YouTube on his phone, while another canoodled with his girlfriend in a discreet corner. —Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025

The pair who appeared to have been caught canoodling were quickly identified as Andy Byron, CEO of the tech firm Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of Human Resources. —Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

Harvey, 28, and Idris, 34, were recently spotted canoodling on the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 22 Sep. 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

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