Meaning of "waddle" in English

The word "waddle" refers to a way of walking that involves swinging from side to side. This type of movement is often characterized by short, clumsy steps. It's typically seen in animals like ducks or penguins and can describe how a person might walk if they have a distinctive, rolling gait. The term often implies a certain endearing awkwardness or lack of grace associated with the waddling motion.

Meaning of "waddle" in French

In French, "waddle" translates to "dandinement" or "se dandiner." It describes a similar motion, involving a swaying or waddling gait. This describes how certain animals, like ducks or geese, move, and may also refer to a person’s peculiar, side-to-side walking style. The term suggests an amusing, charming way of moving, often lacking elegance but not necessarily negative in connotation.

Pronunciation of "waddle" in English

Phonetic Transcription: /ˈwɒd.əl/

Pronunciation Variations: In American English, the pronunciation might sound slightly different, closer to /ˈwɑː.dəl/, owing to regional accent differences that affect vowel sounds.

Pronunciation of "waddle" in French

Phonetic Transcription: /dɑ̃.di.ne/

Pronunciation Variations: Variations in pronunciation across French-speaking regions might be minimal, but some speakers might pronounce it faster or with a softer "d," depending on local accents.

Sentence examples in English and translation to French

  1. The duck began to waddle towards the pond. (Le canard a commencé à se dandiner vers l'étang.)
  2. After a large meal, he had to waddle back home. (Après un grand repas, il a dû se dandiner jusqu'à la maison.)
  3. Penguins are known to waddle adorably on ice. (Les manchots sont connus pour se dandiner adorablement sur la glace.)
  4. The toddler waddle across the room was delightful. (Le dandinement du tout-petit à travers la pièce était charmant.)
  5. As she put on the costume, she started to waddle like a penguin. (En mettant le costume, elle a commencé à se dandiner comme un manchot.)
  6. The grandmother’s playful waddle entertained the family. (Le dandinement enjoué de la grand-mère amusait la famille.)
  7. Fatigue made the runner waddle slightly down the track. (La fatigue faisait que le coureur se dandinait légèrement sur la piste.)
  8. She tried to imitate the duck's waddle for fun. (Elle a essayé d'imiter le dandinement du canard pour s'amuser.)
  9. The children laughed as they watched the goose waddle. (Les enfants riaient en regardant l'oie se dandiner.)
  10. His waddle was a result of old age. (Son dandinement était dû à l'âge avancé.)

Synonyms, antonyms, and similar words for "waddle" in English

Synonyms: toddle, shuffle, sway, totter, lurch

Antonyms: stride, march, gallop, sprint, dash

Similar Words: amble, stroll, saunter, meander, trudge

Synonyms, antonyms, and similar words for "waddle" in French

Synonyms: se dandiner, déambuler, se balancer, marcher en canard, rouler

Antonyms: marcher, courir, déambuler vivement, avancer droit

Similar Words: tituber, vaciller, flâner, se promener, zigzaguer

Disclaimer: These examples may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Translate.com, or its company Translate LLC. We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to our team.

Get document translations that have been custom-crafted to fit the needs of your unique industry and culture - in over 110 language pairs!
Order document translation

Translate waddle into other languages