paw

B2 Topic:Animals

US /pɔ/ UK /pɔː/ See IPA manual

Freq #10743

Meanings

1

noun
The foot of an animal such as a dog, cat, or bear, that has claws.

The cat licked its paw clean.
2

verb
To touch or scrape something repeatedly with a paw.

The dog pawed at the door to be let outside.
3

verb
To touch someone roughly or in an unwanted, often sexual, way.

She pushed him away when he tried to paw her.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the foot of an animal such... foot

3 verb · to touch someone roughly or... grope fondle

Word family

Forms pawedpawingpaws

Derived forms bear's-pawbearspawcatpawfacepawfootpawforepawgrandpawnorthpawpawdicurepawerpawfulpawgun

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

bear paw
an almond-flavored pastry shaped to resemble a bear's broad clawed foot

Noun + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Vulgar Latin *pauta. Further origin unknown, perhaps from Frankish *pōta, from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”), from Proto-Germanic *putōną, whence also Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”). See more at put. Doublet of pote, put, and putt. Cognate with Dutch poot, poten (“to plant”), Low German Pote, German Pfote, Icelandic pota (“to stick”).

pawe Middle English poue Old French *pauta la-vul *pōta frk *pōtōn frk *putōną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Animals

External links

# paw

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /pɔ/
**IPA (UK):** /pɔː/
**Frequency rank:** 10743

## Meanings
1. The foot of an animal such as a dog, cat, or bear, that has claws.
2. To touch or scrape something repeatedly with a paw.
3. To touch someone roughly or in an unwanted, often sexual, way.

## Examples
- The cat licked its paw clean.
- The dog pawed at the door to be let outside.
- She pushed him away when he tried to paw her.

## Derived Forms
- bear's-paw
- bearspaw
- catpaw
- facepaw
- footpaw
- forepaw
- grandpaw
- northpaw
- pawdicure
- pawer
- pawful
- pawgun

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pawe
- Root: poue
- Root: *pauta
- Root: *pōta
- Root: *pōtōn
- Root: *putōną

## Etymology
From Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Vulgar Latin *pauta. Further origin unknown, perhaps from Frankish *pōta, from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”), from Proto-Germanic *putōną, whence also Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”). See more at put. Doublet of pote, put, and putt. Cognate with Dutch poot, poten (“to plant”), Low German Pote, German Pfote, Icelandic pota (“to stick”).

## AI Etymology
Paw comes from Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Vulgar Latin *pauta. Further origin unknown, perhaps from Frankish *pōta, from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”), from Proto-Germanic *putōną, whence also Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”). See Doublet of pote, put, and putt. Cognate with Dutch poot, poten (“to plant”), Low German Pote, German Pfote, Icelandic pota (“to stick”). Modern senses include the foot of an animal such as a dog, cat, or bear, that has claws and to touch or scrape something repeatedly with a paw. The wider word family includes derivatives such as bear's-paw, bearspaw, catpaw, facepaw, footpaw, and forepaw.

## Topics
- Animals

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paw