puddle

1 of 2

noun

pud·​dle ˈpə-dᵊl How to pronounce puddle (audio)
1
: a very small pool of usually dirty or muddy water
2
a
: an earthy mixture (as of clay, sand, and gravel) worked while wet into a compact mass that becomes impervious to water when dry
b
: a thin mixture of soil and water for puddling plants

puddle

2 of 2

verb

puddled; puddling ˈpəd-liŋ How to pronounce puddle (audio)
ˈpə-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to dabble or wade around in a puddle

transitive verb

1
: to make muddy or turbid : muddle
2
a
: to work (a wet mixture of earth or concrete) into a dense impervious mass
b
: to subject (iron) to the process of puddling
3
a
: to strew with puddles
b
: to compact (soil) especially by working when too wet
c
: to dip the roots of (a plant) in a thin mud before transplanting
puddler
ˈpəd-lər How to pronounce puddle (audio)
ˈpə-dᵊl-ər
noun

Examples of puddle in a Sentence

Noun She accidentally stepped in a puddle and got her shoes wet. After the storm, the road was covered in deep puddles.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Paltrow wowed style-watchers with her courtroom outfits and seemed to melt one of the plaintiff’s lawyers into a fangirl puddle. Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2023 The numbers in the preseason mean so little, the sample sizes smaller than the puddles of sweat generated, that teams are generally just trying to make it to the starting line healthy. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2023 Maybe it’s meant to feel like a fever dream, those hectic images of two model-handsome young men rolling around together in puddles of alcohol. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2023 Rain boots are a must-have for any season, and the best ones combine fashion and functionality, shielding your feet from puddles, water, rain, and slush—that is, sans any bulkiness (which is key when traveling and preserving precious suitcase space!). Lauren Dana Ellman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2023 Advertisement As construction trucks and bulldozers rumbled nearby, members of the media picked their way carefully around puddles that had sprung up from rain the night before to gaze at the new earthworks. Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023 As his coffin was driven to the church, local residents knelt in the puddles that pooled along the roadside. Megan Specia, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023 Charlotte Pottle: There was just a big puddle of something. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2023 Once, a guest approached Treadwell to ask for a dry robe after the masseuse had slipped on a puddle and was sitting on the floor, Treadwell said. Byirina Ivanova, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2023
Verb
Another option is to puddle the fabric with an additional three to six inches over the floor-kiss length. Katy Spratte Joyce, ELLE Decor, 5 Sep. 2023 In a time of puddling water and exposed sandbars, Bill Milner, who grew up on the river, found the last resting place of five sizable ships along the Lower Neches near Beaumont on Aug. 18. Michael Barnes, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023 Here, a linen headboard, tailored bedspread, and slightly puddling window treatments create a relaxing space built around texture play. Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2023 Water puddled up at the race’s finish line, where Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson walked under an umbrella into the main drag’s stands. Hank Sanders, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2023 But, true to fashion’s tendency to co-opt and refine even slovenly looks, stylish men have lately come to appreciate how strategically lengthy pants can puddle nonchalantly atop designer sneakers. Ashley Ogawa Clarke, WSJ, 6 Jan. 2023 For a loose, casual effect, let garland puddle on the floor by up to a foot. Anna Logan, Country Living, 3 Dec. 2022 These aren't to be confused with beachy cover-ups, though there's nothing wrong with layering some very open fishnet over a bikini, long-sleeve shirt, or puddle pants. Shanna Shipin, Glamour, 31 Aug. 2022 That suits diving ducks fine, but puddle ducks have trouble feeding in their accustomed locales. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Aug. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puddle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English podel; akin to Low German pudel puddle, Old English pudd ditch

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of puddle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near puddle

Cite this Entry

“Puddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puddle. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

puddle

1 of 2 noun
pud·​dle ˈpəd-ᵊl How to pronounce puddle (audio)
: a very small pool (as of dirty or muddy water)

puddle

2 of 2 verb
puddled; puddling ˈpəd-liŋ How to pronounce puddle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to make muddy
2
: to cover with puddles
puddler
-lər How to pronounce puddle (audio)
-ᵊl-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on puddle

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