# puppy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpʌpi/ · frequency rank #7,174

## Definitions
1. A young dog, especially before sexual maturity (12–18 months)
2. A young rat.
3. A young seal.
4. A dog with a youthful appearance, or any dog.
5. A woman’s breast.
6. A (generic) thing; particularly something that is a nuisance; a sucker.
7. A conceited and impertinent person, especially a young man.

## Etymology
From earlier puppie (“a woman's pet dog”), of uncertain origin, but probably from Middle English *puppee, *poupee, from Old French poupée, popée (“a doll; puppet”). More at puppet.
Mostly displaced native Middle English whelp (“puppy”), from Old English hwelp, whence Modern English whelp and whelpie.

## Easily confused with
- **pups** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puppy-vs-pups)
- **pussy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puppy-vs-pussy)
- **pushy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puppy-vs-pushy)
- **putty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puppy-vs-putty)
- **purdy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puppy-vs-purdy)
- **pup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pup-vs-puppy)
- **PPP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ppp-vs-puppy)
- **pump** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pump-vs-puppy)
- **pulp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pulp-vs-puppy)
- **puny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puny-vs-puppy)
- **pumps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pumps-vs-puppy)
- **pupil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pupil-vs-puppy)
- **poppy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/poppy-vs-puppy)
- **puffy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puffy-vs-puppy)
- **pappy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pappy-vs-puppy)
- **poppa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/poppa-vs-puppy)
- **puppet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/puppet-vs-puppy)
- **preppy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preppy-vs-puppy)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ppuppy`, `ppupy`, `puppyy`, `pupy`, `pupyp`, `upppy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/puppy