puddle

American  

[puhd-l] / ˈpʌd l /

noun

• puddles
  plural

1. a small pool of water, as of rainwater on the ground.

2. a small pool of any liquid.

3. clay or the like mixed with water and tempered, used as a waterproof lining for the walls of canals, ditches, etc.

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verb (used with object)

puddled, puddling

1. to mark or scatter with puddles.

2. to wet with dirty water, mud, etc.

3. to make (water) muddy or dirty.

4. to muddle or confuse.

5. to make (clay or the like) into puddle.

6. to cover with pasty clay or puddle.

7. Metallurgy. to subject (molten iron) to the process of puddling.

8. to destroy the granular structure of (soil) by agricultural operations on it when it is too wet.

9. Horticulture. to dip the roots of (a tree, shrub, etc.) into a thin mixture of loam and water to retard drying out during transplanting.

verb (used without object)

puddled, puddling

1. to wade in a puddle.

   The children were puddling.

2. to be or become puddled.

   The backyard was puddling.

puddle British  

/ ˈpʌdəl /

noun

1. a small pool of water, esp of rain

2. a small pool of any liquid

3. a worked mixture of wet clay and sand that is impervious to water and is used to line a pond or canal

4. rowing the patch of eddying water left by the blade of an oar after completion of a stroke

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verb

1. (tr) to make (clay, etc) into puddle

2. (tr) to subject (iron) to puddling

3. (intr) to dabble or wade in puddles, mud, or shallow water

4. (intr) to mess about

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• puddler
  noun
• puddly
  adjective
• unpuddled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• puddles
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of puddle

1300–50; (noun) Middle English puddel, podel, pothel, apparently diminutive of Old English pudd ditch, furrow (akin to Low German pudel puddle); (v.) late Middle English pothelen, derivative of the noun

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Explanation

A puddle is a small pool, such as one that forms on a sidewalk after a rain shower. A little boy with new rain boots might decide to jump in every puddle he sees on his way to school. It's charming to see a puddle on a brick walkway or to watch a duck wash itself in a puddle. It's less charming to find a puddle in your basement after three days of rain. You can use puddle as a verb, too, to say, "I'm watching your cereal milk puddle in the middle of the table and wondering when you're planning to clean it up." Puddle comes from the Old English pudd, "ditch or furrow."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

puddle puddles puddled puddling

"The scientists told us if a dog ran through a puddle the dog could die because of the levels of the chemicals in the soil," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

“Any time Lenore says the word ‘sugah,’ it just makes me melt into a puddle on the floor,” Winderbaum says, laughing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

The result is crusty, chewy and deeply satisfying — exactly the kind of bread that begs for a puddle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

As we watched the group wander about, a female capybara waded into a mud puddle along the truck path and rolled around happily.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

Gradually he picked up speed and zoomed through a puddle.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

The tribes also have worked together after rains to orchestrate rescue missions for chi that are trapped in puddles, offshoots and agricultural ditches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

As access reopened mid-morning, AFP saw the blackened remains of several burnt-out cars along roads near Omis, some ringed by silver puddles of metal that had melted under the intense heat of the fires.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

I realized I want to raise kids who are going to jump in mud puddles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

"It's raining like crazy," said V, splashing through puddles on the giant, 360-degree stage.

From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026

After the elevator door closed, Ralph worried that the puddles might dry before he had the lobby to himself.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

A river of wine flowed across the tile floor and puddled in the condiment aisle, merging with a multicultural mush of olive oil, soy sauce and horseradish.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2023

A thick fog hung over the area, and the ground was puddled from rain water.

From New York Times ● Mar. 11, 2023

Video posted by a WTVF-TV reporter shows the water puddled up on the main floor’s concourse area and the team store.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2022

As rain poured and puddled on the sideline at Ross-Ade Stadium, the Purdue mascot dared the cheerleader to jump into the water.

From Fox News ● Oct. 2, 2021

Beside him the dry stream-bed had become a deep round hole, still puddled with a little muddy water.

From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda

Others, fabricated from translucent amber resin that has hardened to a glossy sheen, are low and horizontal, oozing and puddling across the floor like pools of blood or toxic spills.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2024

"There have been numerous local measurements and theoretical discussions regarding the effects of water puddling on ice albedo," Kaczmarowski said.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 15, 2024

I have no actual evidence of puddling editors, but no matter.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 5, 2021

“There’s plenty of puddling and stuff already,” he said, “so I just assume that we’re probably going to get a taste of what we had a couple weeks ago.”

From Washington Times ● Aug. 30, 2017

The ink dripped down the paper before puddling on the floor.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

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