paddy

play

noun pad·dy \ˈpa-dē\

variants: or less commonly

padi

Definition of paddy

plural

paddies

also

padis

1 : rice; especially : threshed unmilled rice
2 : wet land in which rice is grown

See paddy defined for English-language learners

See paddy defined for kids

Recent Examples of paddy from the Web

Just below a hilltop pagoda in Ba Vi, Vietnam, steel frames the size of two-car garages were popping up on a bluff that overlooked a valley of electric-green rice paddies.

— the new york times, NOLA.com, "A Vietnamese architect's easy-to-erect dwelling for the destitute", 5 July 2017
A 3-horsepower mechanical transplanter joined them in pushing 250,000 seedlings into the soil of a 1-acre rice paddy at the low end of a former cornfield.

— don behm, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Rice planting in Mequon is historic first for Wisconsin", 29 June 2017
A paddy wagon was outside and some of the drag queens were sitting inside.

— dean eastmond, Teen Vogue, "What the Stonewall Riots Were Like", 29 June 2017
The paths pass beaches and waterfalls, rice paddies, garlic farms, persimmon orchards and pagodas.

— youkyung lee, The Seattle Times, "South Korea’s infrastructure boondoggle a boon for cyclists", 22 June 2017
In the rice paddies and fields around the area, people sheltered in place.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "What do you do if a North Korean missile is coming at you, Japanese wonder", 9 June 2017
Sandwiched between mountains and paddy fields, Pui O beach sees a mix of sunbathers, surfers and the odd water buffalo or two.

— kate springer, CNN, "Lantau: Exploring Hong Kong's greenest island", 8 June 2017
By 10 a.m., Rashid had posted several live videos in the paddy fields, before he was fatally shot.

— fahad shah, The Christian Science Monitor, "With stones – and phones – Kashmiri youth show deepening resolve against India", 1 June 2017
Early one winter morning, Kim Jong Un stood at a remote observation post overlooking a valley of rice paddies near the Chinese border.

— Washington Post, "A new balance of terror: Why North Korea clings to its nukes", 31 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paddy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of paddy

Malay padi

Paddy

play

noun Pad·dy \ˈpa-dē\

Definition of Paddy

plural

Paddies

slang, often disparaging + offensive

: irishman

Recent Examples of paddy from the Web

Just below a hilltop pagoda in Ba Vi, Vietnam, steel frames the size of two-car garages were popping up on a bluff that overlooked a valley of electric-green rice paddies.

— the new york times, NOLA.com, "A Vietnamese architect's easy-to-erect dwelling for the destitute", 5 July 2017
A 3-horsepower mechanical transplanter joined them in pushing 250,000 seedlings into the soil of a 1-acre rice paddy at the low end of a former cornfield.

— don behm, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Rice planting in Mequon is historic first for Wisconsin", 29 June 2017
A paddy wagon was outside and some of the drag queens were sitting inside.

— dean eastmond, Teen Vogue, "What the Stonewall Riots Were Like", 29 June 2017
The paths pass beaches and waterfalls, rice paddies, garlic farms, persimmon orchards and pagodas.

— youkyung lee, The Seattle Times, "South Korea’s infrastructure boondoggle a boon for cyclists", 22 June 2017
In the rice paddies and fields around the area, people sheltered in place.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "What do you do if a North Korean missile is coming at you, Japanese wonder", 9 June 2017
Sandwiched between mountains and paddy fields, Pui O beach sees a mix of sunbathers, surfers and the odd water buffalo or two.

— kate springer, CNN, "Lantau: Exploring Hong Kong's greenest island", 8 June 2017
By 10 a.m., Rashid had posted several live videos in the paddy fields, before he was fatally shot.

— fahad shah, The Christian Science Monitor, "With stones – and phones – Kashmiri youth show deepening resolve against India", 1 June 2017
Early one winter morning, Kim Jong Un stood at a remote observation post overlooking a valley of rice paddies near the Chinese border.

— Washington Post, "A new balance of terror: Why North Korea clings to its nukes", 31 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'Paddy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.