noun

noodle

NOO-duhl

noun

A long, thin strip of pasta or dough, often served in soups or stir-fries.

"She slurped down a big bowl of noodles for lunch."

"Add the noodles to the boiling water for three minutes."

(informal) A person's head or brain.

"Use your noodle and figure it out!"

verb

To play a musical instrument casually or improvise without a fixed plan.

"He sat noodling on his guitar while waiting for the others to arrive."

How to Use Noodle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a strip of pasta, casual musical improvising, or slang for someone's head.

Common pairings

noodle around a bowl of noodles use your noodle

Word Forms

noodled past tense, noodled past tense, noodled past tense, noodled past tense, noodled past tense, noodles plural, noodles plural, noodles singular, noodles singular, noodles singular, noodles singular, noodles singular

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She slurped down a big bowl of _____ for lunch.

Etymology

The word's exact origin is unclear, though it may be linked to "noddle," an old word for "head."

Rhymes for noodle

poodle doodle caboodle

See all rhymes for noodle →