pug

pug · noun¹

Origin unknown, possibly related to West Flemish pugge (“(adjective) small; (noun) short person; pet name derived from the first name Pugge”); though it is uncertain whether sense 1 (“senses relating to someone or something small”) and sense 2 (“senses relating to people”) are derived from the same source. Etymology 1 sense 1.8 (“small demon”) was probably influenced by, though not a variant of, puck.

pug · noun²

Acronym of pickup group.

pug · noun, verb³

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʷem-“to step”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ped-“to step; to walk; to fall; to stumble”
3. Sanskrit · derived fromपद्ग
4. Old Hindi · derived fromपगु
5. Hindi · borrowed fromपग“step; (less common) foot; leg”
6. English todaypug

The noun is borrowed from Hindi पग (pag, “step; (less common) foot; leg”), from Old Hindi पगु (pagu), from Sanskrit पद्ग (padga), from पद् (pad, “step; foot”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“to step; to walk; to fall; to stumble”)) + ग (ga, stem at the ends of compounds denoting going or moving) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷem- (“to step”)). The verb is derived from the noun.

pug · noun⁴

Clipping of pugilist.

pug · verb, noun⁵

The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly: * related to southern Dutch puggen (“to hit hard”), German pucken (“to beat, thump”), possibly ultimately imitative; or * related to poke (verb). It is also uncertain whether the various senses are derived from the same source. The origin of the noun is also uncertain; it is probably related to the verb.

pug · verb⁶

Origin unknown; etymology 6 sense 1.2 (“to spoil (something) by touching too much”) is possibly influenced by pug (verb, noun) (see etymology 5) or puggy.

pug · noun⁷

1. Middle English · inherited frompugge“husk of grain”
2. English todaypug

From Late Middle English pugge (“husk of grain”); further etymology unknown, possibly related to pug (verb) (see etymology 5). However, the latter is only attested much later.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 18th c. A pug dog, a small dog of an ancient breed originating in China, having a snub nose, wrinkled face, squarish body, short smooth hair, and curled tail.
• from 19th c. Chiefly used by servants: A senior or upper servant in a household.
• c. 17th c. A mistress, or a female prostitute; also (generally, derogatory) a woman.
• 16th c. A bargeman.
• from mid 19th c. Clipping of pugilist (“one who fights with their fists, especially a professional prize fighter; a boxer”).