pup

1 of 2

noun

1
: a young dog
also : one of the young of various animals (such as a seal or rat)
2

pup

2 of 2

verb

pupped; pupping

intransitive verb

: to give birth to pups

Examples of pup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Healthy pups Within two weeks of treatment, the Pdha2 knockout mice, which initially exhibited meiotic arrest, showed a resumption of meiotic progression. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025 In a viral TikTok video, a dog owner revealed what her pup has to do every night before going to bed, and internet users can’t cope with it. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
In the footage, the giant pup exhibits a surprising amount of poise to climb up onto the rickety-looking seat. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 The award organizers also highlighted the Impact Award, which was won by Brazilian photographer Fernando Faciole for his image of an orphaned giant anteater pup following a human caregiver. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pup

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for puppy

First Known Use

Noun

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1708, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pup was in 1542

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pup. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

pup

noun
ˈpəp
: puppy
also : one of the young of various animals (as a seal or rat)

More from Merriam-Webster on pup

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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