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 Drew said the puppies were in bad shape, and one was on the brink of death. Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 June 2024 What about purchasing at auctions where puppies are treated as a commodity? David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2024 Vaccines should be administered to dogs as puppies or as soon as possible. Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 21 June 2024 Tracy and Roger got the new puppy as a surprise for their kids. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for puppy 

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 15 Jul. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!