Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “waddle” come from?

Waddle comes from Middle English wadlen, from Middle English waden, from Old English wadan, from Proto-Germanic wadaną, from Proto-Indo-European weh₂dʰ-.

waddle (English): A squat, swaying gait; To walk with short steps,...

Definitions

  1. A squat, swaying gait; To walk with short steps,...

Ancestry of “waddle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanwadelento wander, waver, wave, whip, stroke, flutter
2Old High Germanwadalōnto roam; wander

Words derived from “waddle”

  • waddler
  • waddly
Every word from Old High German wadalōn →