puddle

1 of 2

noun

pud·​dle ˈpə-dᵊl 

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 

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 

ˈpə-dᵊl-ər

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• billabong [Australian]
• mere [chiefly British]
• pool
• stank [British dialect]
• well

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

Avoid puddles — Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control. —Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024

The tree frog lives in the lower branches of trees near water sources such as puddles or forest streams, the researchers said. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024

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

Phrases Containing puddle

• puddle duck
• puddle jumper

Kids Definition

puddle

1 of 2 noun

pud·​dle ˈpəd-ᵊl 

: a very small pool (as of dirty or muddy water)

puddle

2 of 2 verb

puddled; puddling ˈpəd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to make muddy

2

: to cover with puddles

puddler

-lər 

-ᵊl-ər

noun