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doodle

Etymology and origin of the English word doodle

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈduːdl̩/ (UK); /ˈdud(ə)l/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It probably comes from the English dialect verb doodle, dudle “to waste time, trifle”,[2][3][4] perhaps influenced by dawdle.[3][4] This may in turn be from the older noun doodle “a fool” (1628),[2][3][4] which is of uncertain origin; compare Low German Dudeltopf “simpleton”.[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

A silly or foolish fellow (1628).[5][3][4]

Semantic evolution

The modern verb, to scribble aimlessly, is recorded from 1935 (Etymonline and Merriam-Webster) or 1937 (Barnhart and the OED).[4][6][3][5] It was popularized by the screenplay of a 1936 film, in which a character explains doodling as making foolish designs on paper while thinking.[4] The noun, an aimless scrawl, follows in 1937.[5][3][6] The older senses “to cheat” and “a fool” survive only in dialect or as archaic.[5][7]

Timeline

  • 1628 – a foolish fellow.[5][3]
  • 1823 – verb, to make a fool of, cheat.[5]
  • 1935 – verb, to scribble aimlessly.[4][6]
  • 1937 – noun, an aimless scrawl.[5][3][6]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To draw or scribble aimlessly, especially while thinking of something else.
  2. To waste time; to trifle.

Noun

  1. A figure or scribble drawn absent-mindedly.
  2. (archaic) A foolish person.

Word family

  • doodler
  • doodlebug
  • Yankee Doodle
  • dawdle
  • noodle

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  7. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
Cite this entry

“Doodle.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/doodle. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·