poodle

American  

[pood-l] / ˈpud l /

noun

1. one of a breed of notably intelligent dogs, having thick frizzy or curly hair usually trimmed in standard patterns, and occurring in three varieties (standard poodle, miniature poodle, andtoy poodle ) that differ in size.

   What I miss most about our old place are the six big poodles who live at the herb farm next door.

---

poodle British  

/ ˈpuːdəl /

noun

1. 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

2. a person who is servile; lackey

---

Etymology

Origin of poodle

First recorded in 1770–75; from German Pudel, short for Pudelhund, equivalent to pudel(n) “to splash” + Hund “dog”; puddle, hound ¹

Compare meaning

How does poodle compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Bichon Frise vs. poodle

Example Sentences

When the police visited Ashley Warren's home in Jaywick, Essex, he told them his XL bully dogs were misunderstood, even suggesting they were less vicious than a poodle.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 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

The poodle had become timid and was reluctant to leave Lee's side.

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

A poodle, coiffed to make pompoms of its torso and tail, stands on its hind legs: puffed, ruffed and bum-padded, just like the ladies being fitted for bums.

From Slate • Jul. 21, 2025

And then, as Barry was reaching for her favorite stuffed poodle, a wave of warm soup splashed across his lap.

From "I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005" by Lauren Tarshis

Related Words

• beagle