waddle

American  

[wod-l] / ˈwɒd l /

verb (used without object)

waddled, waddling

1. to walk with short steps, swaying or rocking from side to side, as a duck.

2. to move in any similar, slow, rocking manner; wobble.

   The ship waddled into port.

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noun

1. an act or instance of waddling, especially a waddling gait.

waddle British  

/ ˈwɒdəl /

verb

1. to walk with short steps, rocking slightly from side to side

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noun

1. a swaying gait or motion

Other Word Forms

• unwaddling adjective
• waddler noun
• waddling adjective
• waddlingly adverb
• waddly adjective

Etymology

Origin of waddle

1350–1400; Middle English; wade, -le; compare German watteln

Example Sentences

The badger paddled to the riverbank and waddled out of the water, shimmying her fur.

From Literature

Keeping his eye on the net, Gandy honked his disgust and waddled over to one side as if he didn’t care to have a thing to do with me.

From Literature

As I waddled down the road, my heart swelled too—with sadness.

From Literature

A pair of penguins waddled into a care home in Nottinghamshire to spread some cheer to residents.

From BBC

Martin's other daughter, Kelly Fretwell, said her mother had "waddled" when she walked, had a limp, arthritis and had undergone two hip replacements.

From BBC

Related Words

• toddle
• totter
• wiggle
• wobble