canoodle

亲昵地嬉戏

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

2026-02-14

1 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 14, 2026 is: canoodle • kuh-NOO-dul  • verb To canoodle with someone is to hug and kiss them in a romantic way. // Two lovers were canoodling on a park bench. See the entry > Examples: “In one dining room, ruby-colored tufted banquettes sit under vintage-inspired chandeliers. In a private room, purple-colored walls give way to cocktail tables where couples might canoodle, sipping martinis.” — Sarah Blaskovich, The Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2025 Did you know? The origins of canoodle are uncertain, but may have their genesis in an English dialect noun of the same spelling meaning “donkey,” “fool,” or “foolish lover.” That canoodle may itself be an alteration of the word noodle, used to mean “a foolish person.” (The fool noodle likely comes from noddle, a word for the head.) The guess seems reasonable given that, since its appearance in the language around the mid-19th century, canoodle has been most often used lightheartedly for playful public displays of affection by couples who are head over heels in love.
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • It's the Word of the Day podcast for February 14th.

  • Today's word is canoodle, spelled C-A-N-O-O-D-L-E.

  • Canoodle is a verb.

  • To canoodle with someone is to hug and kiss them in a romantic way.

  • Here's the word used in a sentence from the Dallas Morning News.

  • In one dining room, ruby-colored tufted banquets sit under vintage-inspired chandeliers.

  • In a private room,

  • purple-colored walls give way to cocktail tables where couples might canoodle sipping martinis.

  • The origins of the word canoodle are uncertain,

  • but may have their genesis in an English dialect noun of the same spelling,

  • meaning donkey, fool, or foolish lover.

  • That canoodle may itself be an alteration of the word noodle used to mean a foolish person.

  • The full noodle likely comes from noddle, a word for the head.

  • The guess seems reasonable given that

  • since its appearance in the language around the mid-19th century,

  • canoodle has been most often used lightheartedly for playful public displays of affection by couples who are head over heels in love.

  • With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.