noun
puppy
PUH-pee
noun
1
A young dog, usually under a year or so old.
"The puppy chewed through another pair of shoes."
"They adopted a golden retriever puppy from the shelter."
2
Informal: any object or thing, often one that is troublesome or impressive.
"This puppy can tow up to three tons."
How to Use Puppy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA baby dog, or casually, a stand-in word for "thing."
When to use it
The "any object" sense ("grab that puppy") is very informal.
Common pairings
puppy love
house-train a puppy
puppy eyes
Word Forms
puppied past tense, puppies plural, puppies singular
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The _____ chewed through another pair of shoes.
Etymology
Probably from Old French poupée ("doll, puppet") — the same root as puppet — since small pet dogs were once seen as living toys.