cuddle

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain, but probably from a frequentative form of Middle English *cudden, cuththen, keththen (“to embrace”), a variant of cuthen, kuthen, kithen (“to be familiar with, make known”), from Middle English cuth, couth (“known, familiar”), equivalent to couth +‎ -le. Cognate with Middle Dutch kudden (“to come together, flock together”). More at couth.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkʌd.l̩/
Audio (UK) (file)
Rhymes: -ʌdəl

Noun

cuddle (plural cuddles)

A snuggle; an affectionate embrace, often given to family members and close friends.
Give me a cuddle, Paul, it'll cheer you up.

Translations

affectionate embrace

Armenian: գգվանք (hy) (ggvankʿ)
Bulgarian: прегръдка (bg) f (pregrǎdka)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 擁抱／拥抱 (zh) (yōngbào), 摟抱／搂抱 (zh) (lǒubào), (formal) 偎抱 (wēibào)
Dutch: knuffel (nl) c
Esperanto: brakumo (eo), knuflo
Finnish: halaus (fi)
French: câlin (fr) m
Georgian: ჩახუტება (čaxuṭeba), ჩაკონება (čaḳoneba)
German: Kuscheln n
Hungarian: ölelgetés, ölelés (hu), szeretgetés
Ido: embraco (io)
Indonesian: pelukan (id)
Italian: coccola (it) f
Norwegian: klem (no) m
Polish: przytulenie (pl) n
Portuguese: carícia (pt) f
Romanian: îmbrățișare (ro) f
Russian: объя́тия (ru) n pl (obʺjátija), обнима́ния (ru) n pl (obnimánija)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: мажење n
Roman: maženje (sh) n
Spanish: abrazo (es) m, mimo (es) m
Swedish: kram (sv) c

Verb

cuddle (third-person singular simple present cuddles, present participle cuddling, simple past and past participle cuddled)

(intransitive) To embrace affectionately; to lie together snugly.
The young lovers cuddled on the couch.
(transitive) To cradle in one's arms so as to give comfort, warmth.
She cuddled the infant before bedtime.
I'm cold; can you roll over here and cuddle me, honey?
To lie close or snug; to crouch; to nestle.
- 1717, Matthew Prior, The Dove
  She cuddles low behind the brake; / Nor would she stay, nor dares she fly.

Derived terms

cuddlable
cuddle buddy
cuddle bug
cuddle bunny
cuddle puddle
cuddler
cuddlesome
cuddle up
cuddly

Translations

embrace, lie together snugly

Armenian: գգվել (hy) (ggvel)
Bulgarian: прегръщам (bg) (pregrǎštam), притискам се (pritiskam se)
Catalan: acaronar (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 擁抱／拥抱 (zh) (yōngbào), 摟抱／搂抱 (zh) (lǒubào), (formal) 偎抱 (wēibào), 依偎 (zh) (yīwēi)
Czech: mazlit se, tulit se impf, přitulit se pf
Danish: kæle, knuse (da)
Dutch: knuffelen (nl)
Esperanto: knufli, karespremi
Finnish: halailla (fi)
French: câliner (fr)
Georgian: გულში იკრავს (gulši iḳravs)
German: knuddeln (de), kuscheln (de)
Hungarian: összebújik (hu)
Icelandic: kúra
Indonesian: berpelukan (id)
Irish: deasaigh isteach (le)
Italian: coccolare (it)
Japanese: 寄り添う (ja) (よりそう, yorisou)
Luxembourgish: kuschelen, knuddelen
Polish: przytulić się (pl) pf, przytulać się (pl) impf, miziać się (pl) impf (jokingly)
Portuguese: afagar (pt), acariciar (pt)
Russian: обнима́ться (ru) impf (obnimátʹsja), обня́ться (ru) pf (obnjátʹsja), прижима́ться (ru) impf (prižimátʹsja), жа́ться (ru) impf (žátʹsja), прижа́ться (ru) pf (prižátʹsja) (друг к дру́гу (ru) (drug k drúgu))
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: ма́зити
Roman: máziti (sh)
Spanish: abrazar (es), hacer arrumacos
Swedish: kela (sv), gosa (sv), vänslas (sv)
Vietnamese: ôm ấp (vi)
Welsh: cofleidio (cy), anwesu (cy)
Westrobothnian: goes

cradle in one's arms

Armenian: գգվել (hy) (ggvel)
Bulgarian: прегръщам (bg) (pregrǎštam)
Chinese:
Mandarin: (no exact term exists) 輕輕地抱著, 轻轻地抱着 (qīngqīng de bào zhe)
Danish: putte
Dutch: knuffelen (nl)
Esperanto: brakumadi, knufli
Finnish: halata (fi)
French: cajoler (fr)
Hungarian: ölel (hu), átölel (hu)
Italian: cullare (it)
Maori: rapoi (a baby)
Polish: przytulić (pl) pf, przytulać (pl) impf
Portuguese: embalar (pt), acalentar (pt)
Spanish: abrazar (es), mecer (es), mecer en brazos
Swedish: hålla om (sv), gosa (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Hungarian: ^{(please verify)} átkarol (hu), ^{(please verify)} ölelget, ^{(please verify)} szeretget
Norman: ^{(please verify)} ligouaîsi (Jersey)

Anagrams

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