n.
(pl. puppies)
- a young dog.
- dated a conceited or arrogant young man.
- informal, chiefly N. Amer. a person or thing of a specified kind:
he's one sick puppy!
Derivative
- puppyhood n.
- puppyish adj.
Etymology
C15: perh. from OFr. poupee ‘doll, toy’; cf. puppet, synonymous with dial. puppy (as in puppy-show ‘puppet show’).