doodle

¹ American  

[dood-l] / ˈdud l /

verb (used with or without object)

doodled, doodling

1. to draw or scribble idly.

   He doodled during the whole lecture.

2. to waste (time) in aimless or foolish activity.

3. Dialect. to deceive; cheat.

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noun

1. a design, figure, or the like, made by idle scribbling.

2. Archaic. a foolish or silly person.

doodle ² American  

[dood-l] / ˈdud l /

noun

Chiefly North Midland U.S.

1. a small pile of hay; haystack.

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doodle British  

/ ˈduːdəl /

verb

1. to scribble or draw aimlessly

2. to play or improvise idly

3. to dawdle or waste time

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noun

1. a shape, picture, etc, drawn aimlessly

Other Word Forms

• doodler
  noun

Etymology

Origin of doodle¹

1625–30 in archaic sense “a fool”; 1935–40 in current senses; compare Low German dudeltopf simpleton

Origin of doodle²

Probably extracted from cock-a-doodle-doo ( def. ); a euphemism for cock ³, to avoid association with cock ¹, in sense “penis”

Explanation

A doodle is a casual little drawing you do, often while you're doing something else, like talking on the phone or listening to a teacher's lecture. Your history notebook might be equal parts notes and doodles. A doodle can vary from a meaningless scribble or scrawl to a detailed picture of a dog. You never draw a doodle for some specific purpose — to doodle is to draw in an aimless, haphazard way. In the 1600s, a doodle was a "simple fellow," from the German dudeltopf, "simpleton." It came to mean "foolish designs on paper" by the early 20th century.

Example Sentences

But two decades in Germany, where he learned the language so completely that he sometimes catches himself thinking German, helped mitigate any Yankee Doodle stereotypes by the time he moved to La Liga.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

"Doodle" dogs, where a poodle is crossed with a different breed, have become popular and have a reputation for being easy to handle and train.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Ted, having had his fill of foreignness, heads to the Yankee Doodle Burger Barn restaurant, which advertises American food in American portions.

From New York Times • Apr. 19, 2023

"I know of only two tunes: one of them is Yankee Doodle Dandy, and the other isn't."

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2022

For once more Yankee Doodle was going to town on a spanking stallion, with that forlorn feather in his cap, asking those unmilitary questions.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes