puppy

Alternative forms

• puppie (obsolete)

Etymology

From earlier puppie (“a woman's pet dog”), of uncertain origin, but probably from Middle English *puppee, *poupee, from Old French poupée, popée (“a doll; puppet”). More at puppet.

Mostly displaced native Middle English whelp (“puppy”), from Old English hwelp, whence Modern English whelp and whelpie.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈpʌpi/, [ˈpʰɐpi]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌpi

Noun

puppy (plural puppies)

2. A young dog, especially before sexual maturity (12–18 months)
3. A young rat.
4. A young seal.
5. (slang, usually in the plural) A woman’s breast.
   • 2007, Rodney Carrington, Show Them To Me (from the album King of the Mountains)

     Unclasp your bra and set those puppies free.

6. (informal) A (generic) thing; particularly something that is a nuisance; a sucker.

   I have another two dozen of these puppies to finish before I can go home.

7. (derogatory, dated) A conceited and impertinent person, especially a young man.
   • 1711 July 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “FRIDAY, July 13, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 106; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:

     I found my place taken by an ill-bred, awkward puppy with a money bag under each arm.

     The spelling has been modernized.

   • 1735 January 13 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1734), [Alexander] Pope, An Epistle from Mr. Pope, to Dr. Arbuthnot, London: […] J[ohn] Wright for Lawton Gilliver […], →OCLC, page 12, lines 218–221:

     I ne'r vvith VVits and VVitlings paſt my days, / To ſpread about the Itch of Verſe and Praiſe, / Nor like a Puppy daggled thro' the Tovvn, / To fetch and carry Sing-ſong up and dovvn; […]

Verb

puppy (third-person singular simple present puppies, present participle puppying, simple past and past participle puppied)

1. (transitive) To bring forth whelps or give birth to pups.