Dictionary
Thesaurus
Medical
Scrabble®
Spanish Central
Browse DictionaryBrowse Thesaurus
Get our free apps!iPhone•iPad•Android
Games
Word of the Day
Video
Blog: Words at Play
My Faves
Dictionary

1putter

noun put·ter \ˈpu̇-tər\

Definition of PUTTER

:  one that puts <a putter of questions>
ADVERTISEMENT

First Known Use of PUTTER

14th century

Rhymes with PUTTER

footer

2putter

noun putt·er \ˈpə-tər\

Definition of PUTTER

1
:  a golf club used in putting
2
:  one who putts

First Known Use of PUTTER

1743

Rhymes with PUTTER

butter, clutter, cutter, flutter, gutter, mutter, nutter, scutter, shutter, splutter, sputter, strutter, stutter, utter

3putter

verb put·ter \ˈpə-tər\

: to make small popping sounds while moving slowly

Full Definition of PUTTER

intransitive verb
1
:  to move or act aimlessly or idly
2
:  to work at random :  tinker
— put·ter·er \-tər-ər\ noun
See putter defined for English-language learners

Origin of PUTTER

alteration of potter
First Known Use: 1827
PUTTERER Defined for Kids

putter

verb put·ter \ˈpə-tər\
put·teredput·ter·ing

Definition of PUTTER for Kids

:  to act or work without much purpose <She enjoys puttering around the garden.>

Learn More About PUTTER

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: putter–inPrevious Word in the Dictionary: putteeAll Words Near: putter
ADVERTISEMENT
10 Charming Words for Nasty People
Put-downs with flair
Learn More
When "Literally" isn't, well, literal
How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
Watch Now
Know what this is?
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Go Play
Fear of cats?
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears
Learn More
Join Us
Merriam-Webster
on Facebook
Merriam-Webster
on Twitter
Bookstore: Digital and Print
Merriam-Webster references for Mobile, Kindle, print, and more.
See All
Other Merriam-Webster Dictionaries