# paddy

/ˈpædi/ (US) · /pˈædi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/paddy
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. rice field

noun · CEFR B2

a field flooded with water where rice is grown.

For teachers: an irrigated or flooded field used for the cultivation of rice.

- The farmers worked all day in the emerald green rice paddies.
- The traditional landscape was defined by terraced paddies that managed water runoff while providing the community's primary food source.

### 2. unhusked rice

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

rice that is still in its hard outer shell before it is cleaned.

For teachers: rice in the husk, either as a standing crop or after harvesting but before milling.

- The truck was filled with bags of raw paddy ready for the mill.
- The moisture content of the paddy must be carefully monitored during the drying process to prevent the grains from cracking during milling.

### 3. a tantrum

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

a sudden fit of anger or a bad mood.

For teachers: a fit of temper or a petulant outburst.

- The toddler threw a massive paddy when he was told it was bedtime.
- He was prone to throwing a paddy whenever the technical equipment failed to work exactly as he had anticipated.

## Examples

- The farmers work in the paddy fields all day.
- Heavy monsoon rains are essential for flooding the paddy and ensuring a healthy rice crop.
- The landscape was a patchwork of emerald green paddy fields, stretching toward the horizon where the mountains met the humid sky.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.