cuddle

Meanings

Noun

• A snuggle; an affectionate embrace, often given to family members and close friends.

Verb

• To embrace affectionately, lie together snugly.
• To cradle in one's arms so as to give comfort, warmth.
• To lie close or snug; to crouch; to nestle.

Origin

• Origin uncertain, but probably from a frequentative form of Middle English *cudden, cuththen, keththen, a variant of cuthen, kuthen, kithen, from Middle English cuth, couth, equivalent to couth + -le. Cognate with Middle Dutch kudden. More at couth.