puppy

noun

pup·​py ˈpə-pē How to pronounce puppy (audio)
plural puppies
Synonyms of puppynext
1
: a young domestic dog
specifically : one less than a year old
2
: baby sense 4
a computer that is one fast puppy
puppyhood noun
puppyish adjective
puppylike adjective

Examples of puppy in a Sentence

Our dog just had four puppies.
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.
The dogs, including newborn puppies, were pulled to safety by the Brandywine Valley SPCA rescue team. Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 13 May 2026 Bird watchers can make educated guesses by looking at the birds' overall size, beak size, ankle thickness and vocal pitch at around 8 to 10 weeks old, the nonprofit said, adding sometimes the chicks sound like puppies. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 May 2026 His head tilted like a puppy waiting for a treat. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 12 May 2026 Princess Kate confirmed in February that the family had kept one male puppy from that group; however, Otto didn't make his official family debut until the release of a new portrait last month in celebration of the Prince and Princess of Wales' 15th wedding anniversary. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for puppy

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of puppy was in 1567

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puppy. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

puppy

noun
pup·​py ˈpəp-ē How to pronounce puppy (audio)
plural puppies
: a young domestic dog
especially : one less than a year old

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