pup

/pʌp/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: pups · pupping · pupped

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A young dog, wolf, fox, seal, bat or shark, or the young of certain other animals.

Noun

Examples

The dog has had that bed since he was just a pup.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A young, inexperienced person.

Noun

Examples

The new teacher is a mere pup.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To give birth to pups.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

Paid up

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “pup” mean?

A young dog, wolf, fox, seal, bat or shark, or the young of certain other animals.

Is “pup” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.