Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To hold fondly in the arms; hug tenderly. synonym: caress.
- intransitive verb To nestle; snuggle.
- noun The act of cuddling; a hug or embrace.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A hug; an embrace.
- To hug; fondle; embrace so as to keep warm.
- To join in a hug; embrace.
- To lie close or snug; nestle.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To lie close or snug; to crouch; to nestle.
- noun A close embrace.
- transitive verb To embrace closely; to fondle.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
snuggle ; an affectionateembrace , often used in conjunction with family members and close friends. - verb intransitive To
embrace affectionately, lie togethersnugly . - verb transitive To
cradle in one's arms so as to give comfort,warmth .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb hold (a person or thing) close, as for affection, comfort, or warmth
- noun a close and affectionate (and often prolonged) embrace
- verb move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word cuddle.
Examples
-
I tried to get him out of bed for ages but he wanted to cuddle and kept saying it wasn’t time yet so I had a cuddle
-
- Calling a cat in for a cuddle is way more effective than threats of violence when you want them to shut up in the middle of the night.
-
- Calling a cat in for a cuddle is way more effective than threats of violence when you want them to shut up in the middle of the night.
-
My boys are now nearly 8, & 51/2 & 10 months - the only time I get anything that vaguely resembles a cuddle is when they are sick.
-
Steve gave me some rocks he called cuddle rocks in a note and I grimaced and tried not to and Dustin said: Girlfriend, you have to get it together.
-
Steve gave me some rocks he called cuddle rocks in a note and I grimaced and tried not to and Dustin said: Girlfriend, you have to get it together.
-
The temptation to have a sleepy feed and morning cuddle is too much to resist.
-
The temptation to have a sleepy feed and morning cuddle is too much to resist.
-
Oxytocin is sometimes called the cuddle hormone and is important for mother child bonding.
-
Oxytocin is sometimes called the cuddle hormone and is important for mother child bonding.
Prolagus commented on the word cuddle
We lay on the bed there
Kissing just for practice
Could we please be objective?
Cause the other boys are queuing up behind us
A hand over my mouth
A hand over the window
Well, if I remain passive and you just want to cuddle
Then we should be ok, and we won't get in a muddle
Cause we're seeing other people
At least that's what we say we are doing.
(Seeing other people, by Belle and Sebastian)
September 18, 2008
sonofgroucho commented on the word cuddle
Nice quote, Prolagus.
May 4, 2009