Agency Dictionary

Paddle

nounPronunciation: /ˈpæd.əl/

In Portuguese: Remo

Play & Sport

What does “Paddle” mean?

A short, light oar with a flat blade at one or both ends, held with both hands to propel and steer a small watercraft.

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. The implement sense derives partly from Middle English padell (small spade), which came from Medieval Latin padela, itself of uncertain origin. One explanation traces it to Latin patella (small pan, plate, the diminutive of patina). The verb sense meaning to splash or wade appears separately in early modern English and may be related to Low German cognates meaning to tramp or splash. The modern unified sense of a short oar held with both hands emerged from these strands.

Usage note

In British and American English, paddle covers a range of implements from kayak blades to ping-pong bats. The word is also a verb meaning to propel a boat with a paddle, and colloquially means to wade in shallow water.

Synonyms

oar
scull
blade

Word family

paddler
paddling
paddleboard
paddleboat

Rhymes with

saddle
straddle

Usage examples

There is a boat on the sea, a tsunami on the way, and paddles floating away, we need to talk about marketing, immediately, sailor.

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

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Also from these editions: terms

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