puddle

noun pud·dle \ ˈpə-dᵊl \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Definition of puddle

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

See puddle defined for English-language learners

See puddle defined for kids

Examples of puddle in a Sentence

She accidentally stepped in a puddle and got her shoes wet.
After the storm, the road was covered in deep puddles.

Recent Examples of puddle from the Web

My boys were making their usual ruckus of jumping puddles and chasing bubbles in the driveway.

— maria panaritis, Philly.com, "My child has never known his grandmom. But somehow he found her spring flower | Maria Panaritis," 30 May 2018
Upon the restart the Team Penske star hit a puddle on the front straightaway and spun violently into a side wall.

— jim ayello, Indianapolis Star, "Rain delays Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama," 22 Apr. 2018
On my Continental puddle-jumper from Newark to Providence last week to do a Patriots story for HBO, the man in front of me passed gas uncontrollably, constantly, and without any shame throughout the flight.

— rob tornoe, Philly.com, "Joel Embiid breaks Twitter silence to hit Celtics center Aron Baynes," 22 May 2018
From 2007 On my Continental puddle-jumper from Newark to Providence last week to do a Patriots story for HBO, the man in front of me passed gas uncontrollably, constantly, and without any shame throughout the flight.

— peter king, SI.com, "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You: Peter King Says Farewell to SI’s Monday Morning QB," 21 May 2018
Done right, the experience can melt you into a puddle.

— benjamin kemper, Smithsonian, "Raising a Glass to Armenia’s Elaborate Toasting Tradition," 13 July 2018
Children stood on bus stop benches — though sometimes the urge to splash in gargantuan puddles proved irresistible.

— zach despart, Houston Chronicle, "Undaunted by downpours, Lindale Park holds July 4 parade," 4 July 2018
Barn swallows swarmed around lingering mud puddles, gathering mud and carrying it back to the cart shed to construct their nests.

— taylor piephoff, charlotteobserver, "Chasing rarities can be fun, but enjoy the common species, too," 6 June 2018
The implication was clear: Carrie will be taken down a peg or two — again and again, and professional success was always suspect (a mud puddle ready to sully a princess tutu).

— rhonda garelick, The Cut, "Carrie Bradshaw’s Tutu Paradox," 1 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of puddle

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

puddle Synonyms

Synonyms

pool, well;

Related Words

basin, hole, sinkhole;

swimming pool;

lake, pond, water hole;

puddle

verb

Definition of puddle

puddled; puddling play \ˈpəd-liŋ, 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

play \ˈpəd-lər, ˈpə-dᵊl-ər\ noun

Recent Examples of puddle from the Web

Cast-iron-roasted chicken took a familiar comfort to a new level, the bird’s tawny skin drizzled with rich jus that puddled into potato gnocchi flecked with Cabot cheddar.

— craig laban, Philly.com, "Craig LaBan's first bite of the Delaware beaches | A dining guide," 15 June 2018
Scientists calculate that up to 250 million beaver ponds once puddled the continent—impounding enough water to submerge Washington, Oregon, and California.

— ben goldfarb, Science | AAAS, "Beaver dams without beavers? Artificial logjams are a popular but controversial restoration tool," 7 June 2018
Believe it or not, the company drew more clients on that infamous October night in 2008 when the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays kept playing Game 5 of the World Series despite heavy rain and puddling on the infield.

— bob brookover, Philly.com, "Phillies to play at 12:05 today, if rain stops | Extra Innings," 16 May 2018
Rainwater was puddling deeply on the playing surface as the Kiwis did their dance.

— alan dymock, CNN, "From Fiji to fancy dress, how rugby fell in love with the Hong Kong Sevens," 6 Apr. 2018
The steel balconies seemed to sway with the movement of bodies; beer puddled on the floor near the stage where fans were packed tight.

— cathy applefeld olson, Billboard, "Foo Fighters Christen D.C.'s Newest Venue With Anthemic Hits," 13 Oct. 2017
The cratered outfield grass that puddled at the lightest spring rains has been uprooted.

— aaron randle, kansascity, "Cutting-edge baseball academy about to open at 18th & Vine, but who will come play?," 26 Oct. 2017
There is, however, no runoff, as the spray was more like a mist that occasionally made a rainbow and left sidewalks wet, but not puddled.

— gary warth, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Power-washing a dirty job, but could say lives in hep A outbreak," 29 Sep. 2017
Small shouldered jackets and coats sliced up the spine for movement were paired with hip-slung trousers, puddling at the ankles, and macramé vests trailing strands of fringe (weirdly, macramé is sort of a thing this season).

— vanessa friedman, New York Times, "Debuts at Jil Sander and Roberto Cavalli," 24 Sep. 2017

First Known Use of puddle

15th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

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PUDDLE Defined for English Language Learners

puddle

noun

Definition of puddle for English Language Learners

: a small amount of water, mud, etc., on the ground

PUDDLE Defined for Kids

puddle

noun pud·dle \ ˈpə-dᵊl \

Definition of puddle for Students

: a very small pool of liquid

Learn More about puddle

See words that rhyme with puddle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for puddle Spanish Central: Translation of puddle Nglish: Translation of puddle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of puddle for Arabic speakers

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puddle

Definition of puddle

Examples of puddle in a Sentence

Recent Examples of puddle from the Web

Origin and Etymology of puddle

puddle Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

puddle

Definition of puddle

puddler

Recent Examples of puddle from the Web

First Known Use of puddle

PUDDLE Defined for English Language Learners

puddle

Definition of puddle for English Language Learners

PUDDLE Defined for Kids

puddle

Definition of puddle for Students

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