# poodle

/ˈpudəɫ/ (US) · /pˈuːdəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/poodle
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a breed of dog

noun · CEFR B1

a type of dog with thick, curly hair that is often cut in special shapes.

For teachers: a breed of dog characterized by a dense, curly, non-shedding coat, historically used for water retrieval.

- The neighbor walks her white poodle in the park every morning.
- Standard poodles are highly intelligent working dogs, despite their frequent association with ornamental grooming in dog shows.

### 2. a servile person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · British English

a person who follows a powerful leader and does whatever they are told.

For teachers: a person who behaves in a servile or excessively obedient manner toward a superior.

- The newspapers called the politician a poodle for always agreeing with the president.
- The opposition criticized the minister, claiming he had become a mere poodle to corporate interests rather than serving his constituents.

Teaching tip: This is a common political insult in the UK, implying the person has no independent will.

### 4. partial costume

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang

to wear only parts of a furry animal costume, like the head and gloves.

For teachers: to wear a partial fursuit, typically consisting of the head and paws, while leaving human skin or clothing visible.

- He decided to poodle at the convention because the full suit was too hot.
- Within the furry community, poodling is sometimes debated as it breaks the illusion of the character by showing the exposure.

## Examples

- She takes her poodle to the park every morning.
- The groomer spent three hours trimming the poodle's curly coat into a traditional show style.
- While often associated with ornamental haircuts in modern dog shows, the poodle was originally bred as a highly capable water retriever, a history reflected in its athletic build and keen intelligence.

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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.