puppy

noun

pup·​py ˈpə-pē 

plural puppies

1

: a young domestic dog

specifically : one less than a year old

2

: baby sense 4

a computer that is one fast puppy

puppyhood

ˈpə-pē-ˌhu̇d 

noun

puppyish

ˈpə-pē-ish 

adjective

puppylike

ˈpə-pē-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of puppy in a Sentence

Our dog just had four puppies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Albers said that if a dog wanders too close to a coyote den during puppy season and a territorial adult coyote is at home, the encounter may not end well for the house pet. —Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 17 Feb. 2026

The acting mandate was evidently to go puppy. —Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026

Over the past ten years, celebrities have gone from treating profiles as a necessary part of the job — grin and bear it, hold a puppy, say the least offensive things possible — to giving you absolutely nothing. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026

My son loves the fun parts of puppy parenting like snuggling, petting, playing, and running together. —Angela Hatem, Parents, 10 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English popi, from Middle French poupée doll, toy, from *poupe

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing puppy

• foster dog/cat/puppy/kitten
• hush puppy
• mud puppy
• one sick puppy
• one tired puppy
• puppy dog
• puppy fat
• puppy love
• puppy mill

Rhymes for puppy

• guppy
• yuppie

Kids Definition

puppy

noun

pup·​py ˈpəp-ē 

plural puppies

: a young domestic dog

especially : one less than a year old