pup
UK[pʌp]US[pʌp]
n
A young dog; a puppy.
n
The young of certain other animals, such as seals or sharks.
v
To give birth to pups.
Etymology
The word "pup" presents a fascinating case of linguistic clipping and semantic evolution. It is a shortened, back-formed variant of the word "puppy," which entered English in the late 15th century from the Middle French poupée, meaning "doll" or "toy." This French term traces back to the Latin pūpa, meaning "girl" or "doll," a word of imitative origin from a child's language. The semantic journey from "doll" to "young dog" reflects an affectionate, diminutive comparison, where a small, playful animal was likened to a child's toy. The clipped form "pup" emerged in the 16th century, solidifying its place in modern English as the standard term for the young of various canines and other animals.
Analysis
The word "pup" is a simplex word. It is a clipped, shortened form of "puppy," which itself entered English from Middle French poupée (doll, toy). The ultimate origin is Latin pūpa (girl, doll).
Examples
The golden retriever had a litter of six healthy pups.
We watched the seal pup learning to swim on the rocky shore.
Our dog is expected to pup sometime next week.