paddy

[ pad-ee ]

/ ˈpæd i /

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noun, plural pad·dies.

a rice field.

rice, especially in the husk, either uncut or gathered.

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of paddy

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Malay padi “unhusked rice”; currency of this word in the English of India perhaps due to early association with Kannada batta, bhatta “unhusked rice” (from Indo-Aryan; compare Hindi, Marathi bhāt “cooked rice,” Sanskrit bhakhta “food, meal”)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH paddy

paddy , patty

Other definitions for paddy (2 of 2)

Paddy

[ pad-ee ]

/ ˈpæd i /

noun, plural Pad·dies.

Slang: Often Offensive. an Irishman or a person of Irish descent.

a male given name.

Origin of Paddy

Familiar variant of Irish Padraig Patrick; see -y²

usage note for Paddy

This term is used as a neutral nickname or term of address for an Irishman, though it may be perceived as insulting.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use paddy in a sentence

We walked through wheat fields taller than our heads and on raised narrow paths between rice paddies.
A Little Too Off the Beaten Path in Burma|Katya Cengel|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Japan is another country where UAVs have found a permanent foothold among the rice paddies.
Unmanned Drones May Have Their Greatest Impact on Agriculture|Miranda Green|March 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I felt completely safe biking home through remote rice paddies or sitting in a train alone in the middle of the night.
Japan Aftershock: The Nation's Rattled Nerves|Sonia Narang|April 7, 2011|DAILY BEAST
As for his unprotected nose and four paddies, he wrapped them up warm in the fluffy rug of his thick soft brush.
Wild Folk|Samuel Scoville

That woman will die before six months are out, a victim to high civilization and the Paddies.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 16, No. 97, November, 1865|Various
It was intolerable that the men whom they had left strewn along the rice-paddies should go unavenged.
The Code of the Mountains|Charles Neville Buck
We were nearing the provincial capital; some paddies and fields were even fenced.
The Head Hunters of Northern Luzon From Ifugao to Kalinga|Cornelis De Witt Willcox
Stop your yawping, you Paddies, and let a fellow sleep if he can.
Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty|J. W. de Forest

British Dictionary definitions for paddy (1 of 3)

paddy¹

/ (ˈpædɪ) /

noun plural -dies

Also called: paddy field a field planted with rice

rice as a growing crop or when harvested but not yet milled

Word Origin for paddy

from Malay pādī

British Dictionary definitions for paddy (2 of 3)

paddy²

/ (ˈpædɪ) /

noun plural -dies

British informal a fit of temper

Word Origin for paddy

C19: from Paddy

British Dictionary definitions for paddy (3 of 3)

Paddy

/ (ˈpædɪ) /

noun plural -dies

(sometimes not capital) an informal, often derogatory, name for an Irishman

Word Origin for Paddy

from Patrick

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012