toddle C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /ˈtɑdəl/ UK /ˈtɒdəl/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to walk with short unsteady steps, as a young child does The baby began to toddle across the rug toward her father. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to walk with short unsteady... waddletotterstaggeramble Word family Derived forms toddlertoddling Related forms totter Etymology AI details Of uncertain origin, recorded from the 16th century, perhaps related to totter or a dialectal word for unsteady walking; ultimately likely imitative or expressive in formation. Topics Describing Qualities External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # toddle **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˈtɑdəl/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈtɒdəl/ ## Meanings 1. to walk with short unsteady steps, as a young child does ## Examples - The baby began to toddle across the rug toward her father. ## Synonyms - waddle - totter - stagger - amble ## Derived Forms - toddler - toddling ## Related Forms - totter ## Etymology Of uncertain origin, recorded from the 16th century, perhaps related to totter or a dialectal word for unsteady walking; ultimately likely imitative or expressive in formation. ## AI Etymology Toddle is of uncertain origin, recorded from the 16th century, perhaps related to totter or a dialectal word for unsteady walking; ultimately likely imitative or expressive in formation. The wording preserves that uncertainty: the older history is best read as a cautious account rather than a fully settled chain. The sound-symbolic element is central: the form imitates or evokes the noise, motion, or sensory impression associated with the modern word. In current use it covers to walk with short unsteady steps, as a young child does. The wider family includes derived forms such as toddler and toddling and related words such as totter. ## Topics - Describing Qualities markdown