waddle
English
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waddle¹
- /ˈwɒd.əl/ UK
- /ˈwɑd.əl/ US
- [ˈwɑɾ.ɫ̩] US
Rhymes with -ɒdəl, -ædəl
Where it comes from
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.
noun waddles
- A squat, swaying gait. the waddle of a duck
- A group of birds, such as ducks and penguins, when walking. Mr. Lillis imported a waddle of penguins who lined up at the clubhouse gate in their snappy thermal attire and were the first clients admitted.
verb waddles · waddling · waddled
- To walk with short steps, tilting the body from side to side. The pond was another favourite place to visit. Moorhens strutted from the neighbouring bushes, and a bevy of Muscovy ducks, a study in black, white and red, waddled from the farmyard hard by to enjoy a refreshing splash.
- To move slowly. Now, on the bright side, things weren't all bad; they had commendably-thick belt armor, which was 12 inches thickness, and they had a very large number of subdivided watertight compartments, which would make them very durable. Due to their being quite fat, they could also turn very quickly, even if
Waddle²
proper noun Waddles
- A surname.
Translations
Every language
noun swaying gait
| Español | andadura de ánade |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | watschelnder Gang, Watscheln |
| Română | mers legănat |
verb to walk with short steps, tilting the body from side to side
| Español | tambalearse, dar traspiés, anadear |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | よたよた歩く yotayota aruku, よちよち歩く yochiyochi aruku |
| Français | se dandiner |
| Deutsch | watscheln |
| Italiano | ondeggiare |
| Ελληνικά | πηγαίνω σαν πάπια pigaíno san pápia, παραπατώ parapató |
| Română | merge legănat |
| Русский | ходи́ть вразвалку xodítʹ vrazvalku, перева́ливаться pereválivatʹsja |
Talk about this word "waddle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/waddle. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. waddle. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/waddle "waddle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/waddle.Cite this
@misc{waddle_2026,
title = {waddle},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/waddle},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
