poodle
Americannoun
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poodles
plural
noun
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a breed of dog, with varieties of different sizes, having curly hair, which is often clipped from ribs to tail for showing: originally bred to hunt waterfowl
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a person who is servile; lackey
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of poodle
First recorded in 1770–75; from German Pudel, short for Pudelhund, equivalent to pudel(n) “to splash” + Hund “dog”; see puddle, hound 1
Compare meaning
How does poodle compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A poodle is an intelligent dog with a densely coiled coat. Although they're commonly referred to as French poodles, the breed actually originated in Germany. Poodle comes from the German Pudelhund, "water dog," and its root pudel, "puddle." And while the poodle is the national dog of France, it's known as a caniche in French, or “duck dog.” Poodles are smart, active dogs that were bred to retrieve from water. Some poodles have exaggerated haircuts, with round tufts of hair on their heads, ankles, and tails. Many people with dog allergies find they can tolerate poodles, adding to the breed's popularity.
Vocabulary lists containing poodle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Officials classified the pooch as a poodle trapped several feet down a storm drain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Such restraint today seems as quaint as poodle skirts and “I Love Lucy.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Tegan Williams, 20, took her two-year-old toy poodle and bichon frisé cross Honey to Scruffy 2 Fluffy groomers in Bargoed, Caerphilly county, on 15 June - her fourth appointment at the business.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
As a Californian, I’ve always connected with his storytelling, and this story of a cross-country road trip with his poodle brings the vast variety of American life into perspective.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
She also “knew” P. Doggy, the poodle she walked during the summer.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
In another video played to the court, Warren told police his XL Bullies, one of which he bought on Gumtree, were "the friendliest dogs I know" and said poodles were "more aggressive".
From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026
Chihuahuas, rat terriers and miniature poodles are muscling in on strength contests long dominated by big dogs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
In Beverly Hills, retirees push their toy poodles in strollers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2025
In his spare time, he breeds toy poodles, some of which have competed at dog shows like Crufts.
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024
After they’ve finished doing their work, Amanda and Nicole can draw the best poodles, and they didn’t mind that I’d peek over their shoulder.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
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