puppy

noun

pup·​py ˈpə-pē How to pronounce puppy (audio)
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 noun
puppyish adjective
puppylike adjective

Examples of puppy in a Sentence

Our dog just had four puppies.
Recent Examples on the Web Griffin’s mother, who died last year, told PEOPLE in 2021 that her son went missing shortly after taking his new puppy on a walk. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024 Fanta’s journey toward adoption started when workers found her litter of seven puppies abandoned on the shelter doorstep one morning. Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024 Each relationship will be different, whether your new puppy is a clone of your previous beloved pet or has its own unique set of genes. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024 While the other dog quickly found a forever home, Ludwig unfortunately caught a puppy cold and did not get better after a few weeks. The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2024 The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant last week for the property north of Portland after the agency was tipped off about a resident freezing litters of puppies for snake food, according to a news release. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024 VTech Pull and Sing Puppy Buy on Walmart $23 If your family isn’t quite ready for a real puppy, the VTech Pull and Sing Puppy is a great alternative. Julie Evans, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024 Kate Anderson, assistant clinical professor at Cornell’s Duffield Institute for Animal Behavior, says the use of crates can be beneficial when house-training puppies, setting unsupervised dogs up for success, giving dogs a quiet place to relax, and making car travel safe and comfortable. Kelly Conaboy, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 The reception also included puppies to warm up the crowd. Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puppy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near puppy

Cite this Entry

“Puppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puppy. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on puppy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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