paddy

1 of 2

noun (1)

pad·​dy ˈpa-dē How to pronounce paddy (audio)
variants or less commonly padi
plural paddies also padis
1
: rice
especially : threshed unmilled rice
2
: wet land in which rice is grown

Paddy

2 of 2

noun (2)

Pad·​dy ˈpa-dē How to pronounce Paddy (audio)
plural Paddies
slang, often disparaging + offensive

Examples of paddy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
At the time, the island was still an agrarian place, where farmers tended rice paddies and raised water buffalos, but the possibility of war was manifest in the landscape. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2025 Migrating birds are taking refuge on California rice paddies Some 95% of the wetlands in the Central Valley have disappeared as a result of intensive farming and urban development. Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2025 That giant world is impressively dense and visually diverse, with hills dotting the horizon, rice paddy fields stretching into the distance, and huge castles looming over villages. Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2025 The drive to the resort provides a nice overview of Ubud, the closest town to Sayan, which is lined with shops and cafes (and a popular market) just steps from working rice paddies and local Hindu temples and shrines. Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for paddy

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Malay padi

Noun (2)

from Paddy, Hiberno-English nickname for Patrick

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1714, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paddy was in 1623

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paddy. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

paddy

noun
pad·​dy ˈpad-ē How to pronounce paddy (audio)
plural paddies
: wet land in which rice is grown

More from Merriam-Webster on paddy

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