verb

canoodle

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Canoodle (verb) means (informal) To kiss and cuddle someone lovingly, or to have sex with them.

verb

(informal) To kiss and cuddle someone lovingly, or to have sex with them.

"He’s got a big smile on his face—who’s he been canoodling recently?"

(informal) To talk someone round gently, using charm or flattery.

(informal) Of two people: to kiss and cuddle each other affectionately, or to have sex.

"Gerald Arbuthnot sat with her in the library all the time Jim was upstairs dying and they canoodled together on the sofa in front of the fire." — Frank Danby pseudonym; Julia Frankau, The Arbuthnot Case (1915)

"You may have been a classy, demure teenager, but I was a pragmatist, a hedge-better. And it was often hedges in which I canoodled." — Jessica Fostekew, ‘I canoodled in hedges and fumbled in recycling bins as a teenager – and I don’t regret a thing’ (2022)

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Etymology

The origin of the verb is uncertain; the following possibilities have been suggested: * From a blend of ca(ress) + noodle (“to engage in frivolous behavior; to fool around or waste time; to mess around, to play”). * From German knuddeln (“to cuddle; (originally) to embrace tightly”); or related to Low German knuddle (“a clump, a knot”), a diminutive of knude, related to Old High German knodo, knoto (“a knot”) (modern German Knoten (“knot”)); ultimate etymology unknown. Compare also Norwegian Bokmål knulle (“to fuck”), Swedish knulla (“to fuck”), both from Proto-Germanic *knuzlijaną (“to beat; to mash”) (and also compare the semantics of the Scandinavian cognates of fuck). The noun is probably derived from the verb.

Synonyms

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fondle dally grabble cosset grope caress cajole coax blandish inveigle wheedle fleech

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Rhymes for canoodle

noodle poodle doodle caboodle

See all rhymes for canoodle →

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of canoodle?

"canoodle" (verb) means (informal) To kiss and cuddle someone lovingly, or to have sex with them.

What is another word for canoodle?

Other words for "canoodle" include fondle, dally, grabble, cosset, grope, caress.

What are the different meanings of canoodle?

"canoodle" has 3 main meanings: 1. (informal) To kiss and cuddle someone lovingly, or to have sex with them; 2. (informal) To talk someone round gently, using charm or flattery; 3. (informal) Of two people: to kiss and cuddle each other affectionately, or to have sex.

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