English Explanatory Dictionary

waddle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A squat, swaying gait.
  2. A group of birds, such as ducks and penguins, when walking.
verb
  1. To walk with short steps, tilting the body from side to side.
  2. To move slowly.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈwɒd.əl/ /ˈwɑd.əl/ [ˈwɑɾ.ɫ̩] En-us-waddle.ogg en-au-waddle.ogg

Word forms

waddle waddles waddling waddled

Etymology

From Middle English wadelen, frequentative form of waden, equivalent to wade + -le. Compare Saterland Frisian wuttelje (“to waddle”), Old High German wadalōn (“to roam; wander”), Middle High German wadelen, wedelen (“to wander; rove”), German wedeln (“to waggle”). First known use in English in a version of the Song of Roland around the year 1400.

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