poodle

noun

poo·​dle ˈpü-dᵊl 

1

: any of a breed of intelligent dogs that have a curly dense solid-colored coat and that are grouped into standard, miniature, and toy sizes which are often considered separate breeds compare toy poodle

2

: a fabric with a nubby or coarsely looped surface that resembles a poodle's coat

called also poodle cloth

Examples of poodle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Among its celebrity and royal guests were the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Bob Hope and Elizabeth Taylor, who paid extra for her poodle. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024

Earlier this month, Brown appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon alongside her 3-year-old poodle Winnie. —Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024

Here's a snapshot of the top 10 breeds this year: After Frenchies, the most common breeds registered were Labs, golden retrievers, German shepherds and poodles. —CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024

Here’s a snapshot: TOP 10 After Frenchies, the most common breeds registered were Labs, golden retrievers, German shepherds and poodles. —Jennifer Peltz, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024

Participants also felt significantly less depressed, stressed and fatigued after interacting with the poodle. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024

In later years, the poodle skirt became visual shorthand for the entire decade. —Margalit Fox, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024

After a moment, Winnie settled in next to her dog mom, who revealed a fun fact about the clever poodle. —Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

Florida authorities say a woman is now behind bars and faces felony charges for beating her poodle to death with a frying pan. —Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German Pudel, short for Pudelhund, from pudeln to splash + Hund dog

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing poodle

• toy poodle

Kids Definition

poodle

noun

poo·​dle ˈpüd-ᵊl 

: any of a breed of active intelligent dogs that have thick curly coats of solid color and that occur in three sizes

Etymology

from German Pudel, a shortened form of Pudelhund "poodle," from pudeln "to splash" and Hund "dog"

Word Origin

Poodles often have their coats cut in different patterns. Both their haircuts and their name go back to a time when poodles were kept not as house pets but as retrievers. Poodles were especially good at retrieving game in the water. The dogs were good swimmers, and they had heavy coats that kept them warm even in icy water. Hunters cut their dogs' hair shorter in a pattern that would make swimming easier. Cutting poodles' hair in a pattern soon became a tradition. The German name for this skillful swimmer was Pudelhund. This word combined pudeln, meaning "to splash," and hund, meaning "dog." It was then shortened to Pudel, which English borrowed as poodle.