toddle

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to walk with short unsteady... waddle totter stagger amble

Word family

Derived forms toddlertoddling

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.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# 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
- Actions & Processes

markdown