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putter

1
[ puht-er ]
/ ˈpʌt ər /
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See synonyms for: putter / putterer on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object)
to busy or occupy oneself in a leisurely, casual, or ineffective manner: to putter in the garden.
to move or go in a specified manner with ineffective action or little energy or purpose: to putter about the house on a rainy day.
to move or go slowly or aimlessly; loiter.
noun
puttering or ineffective action; dawdling.
Verb Phrases
putter away, to spend or fill in a random, inconsequential, or unproductive way; fritter away; waste: We puttered the morning away.
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Also especially British, potter.

Origin of putter

1
First recorded in 1825–30; variant of potter2

OTHER WORDS FROM putter

put·ter·er, nounput·ter·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby putter

put someone up to, put someone wise, putt, puttanesca, puttee, putter, put that in your pipe and smoke it, put the arm on, put the blame on, put the cart before the horse, put the fear of God into

Other definitions for putter (2 of 3)

putter2
[ puht-er ]
/ ˈpʌt ər /
noun Golf.
a person who putts.
a club with a relatively short, stiff shaft and a wooden or iron head, used in putting.

Origin of putter

2
First recorded in 1740–50; putt + -er1

Other definitions for putter (3 of 3)

putter3
[ poot-er ]
/ ˈpʊt ər /
noun
a person or thing that puts.
Track. a shot-putter.

Origin of putter

3
First recorded in 1570–90; put + -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to putter

loiter, doodle, fiddle, fritter, mess, niggle, poke, potter, puddle, tinker, goof around, mess around

How to use putter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for putter (1 of 3)

putter1
/ (ˈpʌtə) /
noun golf
a club for putting, usually having a solid metal head
a golfer who putts

British Dictionary definitions for putter (2 of 3)

putter2
/ (ˈpʌtə) US and Canadian /
verb
(intr; often foll by about or around) to busy oneself in a desultory though agreeable manner
(intr; often foll by along or about) to move with little energy or directionto putter about town
(tr usually foll by away) to waste (time)
noun
the act of puttering
Equivalent term (in Britain and certain other countries): potter

Word Origin for putter

C16 (in the sense: to poke repeatedly): from Old English potian to thrust; see put

British Dictionary definitions for putter (3 of 3)

putter3
/ (ˈpʊtə) /
noun
a person who putsthe putter of a question
a person who puts the shot
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
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