Borrowed from Dutch noedel (“noodle”), or from its etymon German Nudel (“piece of pasta, noodle”); further etymology uncertain, probably a variant of Knödel (“dumpling”), from Middle High German knödel (“dumpling; small knot”), and then either:
* from knode, knote (“knot”) (from Old High German knodo, knoto (“knot”), perhaps ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *knappō (“knob; boy”)) + -el (diminutive suffix); or
* from Ladin menùdli (“small dough dumpling in soup”), probably from Latin minutulus (“very small, tiny”) (in the sense of food chopped into small pieces), a diminutive of minūtus (“diminished; having been diminished”), the perfect passive participle of minuō (“to make smaller, diminish, lessen, reduce”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“little, small”).
Cognates
* French nouille, noudle, nudeln
* Swedish nudel
Meanings
(plural-normally) A string or flat strip of pasta or other dough, usually cooked (at least initially) by boiling, and served in soup or in a dry form mixed with a sauce and other ingredients.
She is cooking noodles for dinner.
One brought two boxes of instant mami noodles. 2003, Ma. Romina M. Gonzalez, Welostit and Other Stories, page 51:
He settled for the noodles and then after watching The Jungle Book twice on video it was time for beddy-bys. 1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 148:
She slurped a long noodle up out of her soup.
(broadly) An object which is long and thin like a noodle (sense 1).
(abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, ellipsis, informal) An object which is long and thin like a noodle (sense 1). ▸ Ellipsis of pool noodle (“a long, slender tube or rod, extruded from buoyant foam and usually brightly coloured, used as an exercise tool or toy in swimming pools”).
it nudolino (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · th หมี่ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi mì dẹt (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nan-hbl 麵條 /面条 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · de Nudel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ro tăiței (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · es tallarín (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · it fettuccina (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ms mi (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · km មី (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hy լապշա (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · az əriştə (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · is núðla (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tg туппа (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · kk кеспе (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bn নুডল (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fi putkilo (object which is long and thin like a noodle) · mi kihu (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sh núdle (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · es fideo (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · it noodle (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nb nudel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ba туҡмас (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · gl fideo (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ca fideu (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · oc vermicèli (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · it taglierino (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · uz ugra (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mr नूडल (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · qu fidiyu (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · be ло́кшына (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · yue 麵條 /面条 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hy արիշտա (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · lb Nuddel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tr şehriye (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sl testenina (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ko 국수 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · gan 麵 /面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tt кесә (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · uk лапша́ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ky кесме (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bcl pansit (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ba һалма (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · csb klósk (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · cmn 掛麵 /挂面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fr nouille (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · alt лапша (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · cy nwdl (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mww mij (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hu tészta (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · th บะหมี่ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tk tentek (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tr erişte (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · wuu 麵條 /面条 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ja 麺 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · uk ло́кшина (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · th ก๋วยเตี๋ยว (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hak 麵 /面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hi नूडल्स (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nn nudel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ar نُودَلْز (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · eo nudelo (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · lv nūdeles (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nan-hbl 麵 /面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sh rezánac (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nl noedel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nog лакса (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hrx Nutel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · io nudelo (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · yue 麵 /面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bo ཐུག་པ་བག་ཐུག (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · dz རྒྱ་ཐུག (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ar شَعْرِيَّة (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bo འཇམ་ཐུག (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fa نودل (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tr şeriye (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hu nudli (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sh реза́нац (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ka ატრია (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · jv bakmi (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ur نوڈل (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · id mie (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bo ནས་རྗེན་ཚ་བ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sv nudel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · my ခေါက်ဆွဲ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · it tagliatella (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tg макарон (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · es aletría (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · lo ໝີ່ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fa رشته (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · id mi (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · pl kluski (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fa لخشک (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi bún (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · pt miojo (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi miến (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sk slíž (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ps مکروني (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi bánh (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · da nudel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · he אִטְרִיָּה (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hsn 麵 /面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ug ئۈگرە (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fi nuudeli (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mn гурил (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · wuu 麵 /面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · dng мян (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sl rezanec (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sk rezanec (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ru лапша́ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · pt talharim (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · la collȳra (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · lo ເຝີ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tk akmak (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · lt lakštiniai (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · cmn 麵條 /面条 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tl luglog (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mk тестенина (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · nan-hbl 大麵 /大面 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ru макаро́ны (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sq jufkë (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · fa اگرا (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mww fawm (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · cs nudle (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · el νουντλ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sm lialia (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ja ヌードル (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ja 麺類 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi mì sợi (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ta நூலடை (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ko 누들 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi mì mống (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hu metélt (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ko 면 (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · it tagliolino (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ii ꎭꃃ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sh ну́дле (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · ga núdal (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · vi mì (egg noodle) (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · gd nùdail (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · jv mi (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · yi לאָקש (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · sce ghurun (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · km គុយទាវ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · dng фан (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · lis ꓟꓰꓽ ꓫꓲꓺ (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bo ཕིང (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · bg ю́фка (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mn лавшаа (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · pl nudle (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · mn гоймон (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · hi नूडल (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · et nuudel (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough) · tg угро (string or flat strip of pasta or other dough)
The origin of the noun is uncertain; it is possibly a variant of noddle (“the head”). The verb is derived from the noun.
Meanings
(dated, informal) A person with poor judgment; a fool.
[A] long and hopeless career in your profession, the chuckling grin of noodles, the sarcastic leer of the genuine political rogue— […] these were the penalties exacted for liberality of opinion at that period; and not only was there no pay, but there were many stripes. 1839, Sydney Smith, “Preface”, in The Works of the Rev. Sydney Smith. […], volume I, London: […] [A[ndrew] Spottiswoode] for Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], →OCLC, page viii:
If that portrait could speak, sir,— […] it would testify, that a long period has elapsed since I first habitually addressed it as the picture of a Noodle. Nothing that a Noodle does, can awaken surprise or indignation; the proceedings of a Noodle can only inspire contempt. 1854, Charles Dickens, “Final”, in Hard Times. For These Times, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC, 3rd book (Garnering), page 349:
‘Why, anybody that isn’t a noodle can see that’s a castle and not a restaurant.’ 1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 79:
"What are you two noodleth laughing at?" Norrie went on, with a touch of indignation. "Ithn't the thenthe of thent in hith nothe?" 1905 February 4, Alfred Colbeck, “Netted: The Story of a Capture”, in The Boy’s Own Paper, volume XXVII, number 19 (number 1360 overall), London: “Boy’s Own Paper” Office, […], →OCLC, chapter V (A Surprising Capture), page 314, column 1:
You vvrong me, noodle (boxes his ears). Novv then to the point. 1796 March 25 (first performance), J[ames] C. Cross, “The Village Doctor, a Burletta. […]”, in Parnassian Bagatelles: Being a Miscellaneous Collection of Poetical Attempts. […], London: […] Burton and Co. […]; [for] Bellamy, […], published 1796, →OCLC, page 140:
[T]hou would'st fling thy cuckoldy steeple-hat one way, and that bloodthirsty long-sword another, and trip like the noodles of Hogs-Norton, when the pigs play on the organ. 1826, [Walter Scott], chapter III, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC, page 67:
Laura told me the names of all the actors and actreſſes as they preſented themſelves; and, not contented vvith this, the ſatyrical baggage deſcrib'd their characters nicely, as they appeared. "This here (ſaid ſhe) is a noodle—That fellovv is a brute:[…]." 1751, [Alain-René Lesage], “Which is as Short as the Foregoing”, in [Tobias George Smollett], transl., The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane. […], 3rd edition, volume I, London: […] J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, book III, page 244:
(informal, slang) The brain; the head.
[W]hat appears to at first glance to be a thinking problem can be a problem with sight or hearing. […] There's nothing wrong with your noodle; it's your sensory equipment that needs a bit of help. Learn to compensate. 2006, Mark Victor Hansen, Art Linkletter, “Mind or Are You ‘Sageing’ or Aging?”, in How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson Books, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 172:
Possibly either:
* a blend of Shetland Scots nune (“to sing softly, croon, hum”) (from Danish nynne, Norwegian nuna, nynna (“to hum; to sing”), originally imitative) + English doodle (“to play the bagpipes”) (chiefly Scotland); or
* from Norn (unattested), from Old Norse *grynta, from Proto-Germanic *grunnatjaną (“to grunt”), a frequentative of Proto-Germanic *grunnōną (“to grunt”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrun- (“to shout”) (and thus a doublet of grunt).
Meanings
(Shetland, ambitransitive, informal, qualifier:singing) To hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
noodling
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
noodles
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
noodled
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
noodled
Tense=Past
lexicographic
Translations (2)
fi laulaa hiljaa (to hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume) · fi laulaa möristen (to hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume)
The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly derived:
* from noodle (“to hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume”) (Shetland) (see etymology 3); or
* from German nudeln (“to make music or sing listlessly; to make music or sing at a low pitch or volume, or in an improvisatory manner”) (Leipzig), apparently from Nudel (“piece of pasta, noodle”) (see etymology 1) + -n (a variant of -en (suffix forming the infinitives of verbs)).
The word was probably also influenced by doodle (“to draw or scribble aimlessly”, verb).
The noun is probably derived from the verb, though the verb is first attested later. The noun was probably also influenced by doodle (“small mindless sketch”, noun).
Meanings
(informal, qualifier:chiefly jazz) An improvised passage of music played on an instrument; also, a series of ornamental notes played on an instrument; a trill.
The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly derived:
* from noodle (“to hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume”) (Shetland) (see etymology 3); or
* from German nudeln (“to make music or sing listlessly; to make music or sing at a low pitch or volume, or in an improvisatory manner”) (Leipzig), apparently from Nudel (“piece of pasta, noodle”) (see etymology 1) + -n (a variant of -en (suffix forming the infinitives of verbs)).
The word was probably also influenced by doodle (“to draw or scribble aimlessly”, verb).
The noun is probably derived from the verb, though the verb is first attested later. The noun was probably also influenced by doodle (“small mindless sketch”, noun).
Meanings
(informal, qualifier:chiefly jazz, transitive) To play (a musical instrument or passage of music) or to sing (a passage of music) in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; also, to play (a series of ornamental notes) on an instrument.
(US, informal, transitive) To ponder or think about (something).
“Noodle that thought around for a while,” said Dr. Johnson to his Biblical Interpretations class.
(informal, intransitive, qualifier:chiefly jazz) To play a musical instrument or to sing in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; also, to play a series of ornamental notes on an instrument.
He has been noodling with that trumpet all afternoon, and every bit of it sounds awful.
[A]udible here and there / in the half-dark, members of an avian orchestra / are already softly noodling, limbering up for / an overture at sunrise, […] 1965, W[ystan] H[ugh] Auden, “Thanksgiving for a Habitat. The Cave of Nakedness (for Louis and Emmie Kronenberger).”, in About the House, New York, N.Y.; Toronto, Ont.: Random House, →OCLC, page 34:
We’ve learned the prospective danger of Macca [Paul McCartney] noodling around in the studio from McCartney III’s predecessors—“Wonderful Christmastime” came out of the McCartney II sessions, after all. 2020 November 9, Gwen Ihnat, “With McCartney III, Paul McCartney Offers Lessons from a Legendary Life”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 16 May 2022:
(US, informal, intransitive) To ponder or think, especially in an unproductive or unsystematic manner; to muse.
He noodled over the problem for a day or two before making a decision.
(US, informal, intransitive) To attempt in an informal or uncertain manner; to fiddle.
If the machine is really broken, noodling with the knobs is not going to fix it.
(US, informal, intransitive) Often followed by about or around: to mess around, to play.
fi rimputella (to play a musical instrument or to sing in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; to play a series of ornamental notes on an instrument) · fi rimputtaa (to play (a musical instrument or passage of music) or to sing (a passage of music) in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; to play (a series of ornamental notes) on an instrument)
Uncertain; possibly:
* from noodle (“to fool or trick (someone)”) (obsolete) (see etymology 2); or
* from nodule (“rounded mass or irregular shape”).
Meanings
(Australia, informal, transitive) To search (mullock (“mining or ore processing waste”)) for opals.
(Australia, informal, transitive) To obtain (an opal) by searching through mullock.
(Australia, also, figuratively, informal, transitive) To clear extraneous material from (an opal).
(Australia, informal, intransitive) To search mullock for opals; to fossick.
In Coober Pedy, noodling for opals is generally discouraged, although a few tourist spots, such as the Old Timers Mine, have noodle pits open to the public. 1994, RonMoon, Outback Australia: a Lonely Planet Australia guide:
On the Olympic Field the tour-group is permitted to ‘noodle’ (hunt for opals) on the waste or mullock heaps […] 1989, Association for Industrial Archaeology, Industrial archaeology review, volume 12:
We learn how Lennon used to noodle (fossick) for opal as a kid, how camels were for a long time the only form of transportation, and where the name 'Coober Pedy' came from. 2006, Making Waves: 10 Years of the Byron Bay Writers Festival, edited by Marele Day, Susan Bradley Smith, and Fay Knight, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
noodled
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
noodled
Tense=Past
lexicographic
noodling
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
noodles
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
Translations (3)
fi löytää opaali (to obtain (an opal) by searching through mullock) · fi puhdistaa opaali (to clear extraneous material from (an opal)) · fi etsiä opaaleita (to search (mullock) for opals)
Unknown; perhaps related to guddle (“to catch (fish) with the hands”).
Meanings
(Australia, informal, transitive) To catch (fish (usually very large catfish), turtles, or other aquatic animals) with the hands; also, to catch (fish) using a gaff or fishing spear; to gaff.
Fred had several lacerations on his hands from noodling flathead in the river.