pup

[puhp]

See more synonyms for pup on Thesaurus.com

noun

a young dog; puppy.
the young of certain other animals, as the rat or fur seal.
a small plant developing as an offshoot from a mature plant.

verb (used without object), pupped, pup·ping.

to give birth to pups.

Origin of pup

First recorded in 1580–90; apocopated variant of puppy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for pup

brood, generation, progeny, heir, cub, baby, descendant, kid, pup, boy, juvenile, youth, teenager, student, girl, pupil, mutt, pooch, dog, animal

Examples from the Web for pup

Contemporary Examples of pup

You can even compare your pup to other similar breeds to offer an understanding of where your dog falls on the activity spectrum.
Fitness Gadgets … for Your Dog
Megan Humphreys
February 18, 2014
Has your pup suddenly become more lethargic in your absence?
Fitness Gadgets … for Your Dog
Megan Humphreys
February 18, 2014
Who really owns a dog, if no official paperwork is signed as the pup gets transferred from one person to the next?
Dog Fight Over Obie, the Dieting Dachshund
Winston Ross
November 4, 2012
Walking their pup Lupo in Kensington Park is an almost daily occurrence when they are in London.
William at Thirty
Tom Sykes
June 21, 2012
Designer Simon Spurr brought along his hulking, 90-pound pup Apollo.
Fashion Free for All
The Daily Beast
September 11, 2010

Historical Examples of pup

Busted more clotheslines than I've got fingers and toes, that pup has.
The Woman-Haters
Joseph C. Lincoln
The moment his back was turned, the pup had sneaked into the kitchen.
The Woman-Haters
Joseph C. Lincoln
Bill Dancing decided, off-hand, that “the pup” was worthless.
The Mountain Divide
Frank H. Spearman
He had a blacksnake whip in his hand and was teasing a pup with it.
Oh, You Tex!
William Macleod Raine
Here in the rich cream of the day we're waiting for the mail, Dan'l and I and the pup.
Jane Journeys On
Ruth Comfort Mitchell

British Dictionary definitions for pup

pup

noun

1. a young dog, esp when under one year of age; puppy
2. the young of various other animals, such as the seal
in pup (of a bitch) pregnant
informal, mainly British derogatory a conceited young man (esp in the phrase young pup)
sell someone a pup to swindle someone by selling him something worthless
the night's a pup Australian slang it's early yet

verb pups, pupping or pupped

(of dogs, seals, etc) to give birth to (young)

Word Origin for pup

C18: back formation from puppy

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

Word Origin and History for pup

"young dog," 1760, shortened form of puppy (q.v.). Used from 1580s for "conceited person." Applied to the young of the fur seal from 1815. Used for "inexperienced person" by 1890. Pup tent (also dog tent) is from 1863. Sopwith pup, popular name of the Sopwith Scout Tractor airplane, is from 1917.