doodle

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈdudəl/ UK /ˈduːdəl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to scribble absentmindedly while thinking or bored

She would doodle little stars in the margins during lectures.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to scribble absentmindedly... scribble scrawl sketch draw

Word family

Derived forms doodler

Simplified etymology

Doodle entered English in the early 17th century meaning “a fool” or “simpleton,” from Low German dudeltopf or dudeldopp, literally “nightcap.” Its familiar senses of scribbling absent-mindedly and a rough drawing developed in the 1930s.

Etymology

Probably from German dudeln ('to play the bagpipe') or Low German dudeltopf ('simpleton'); originally a noun meaning 'fool', the verb 'to scribble' is a later development.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# doodle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈdudəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈduːdəl/

## Meanings
1. to scribble absentmindedly while thinking or bored

## Examples
- She would doodle little stars in the margins during lectures.

## Synonyms
- scribble
- scrawl
- sketch
- draw

## Derived Forms
- doodler

## Etymology
Probably from German dudeln ('to play the bagpipe') or Low German dudeltopf ('simpleton'); originally a noun meaning 'fool', the verb 'to scribble' is a later development.

## AI Etymology
Doodle has the etymological history Probably from German dudeln ('to play the bagpipe') or Low German dudeltopf ('simpleton'); originally a noun meaning 'fool', the verb 'to scribble' is a later development. In present use as verb and noun, it means "to scribble absentmindedly while thinking or bored", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Derived forms include doodler. The surrounding word family keeps the same base visible in doodler, showing how the headword belongs to a larger cluster rather than standing alone.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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