puck

1 of 2

noun (1)

plural pucks
1
: a vulcanized rubber disk used in ice hockey
2
: something (such as a food item) that resembles a puck
It is imperative to remove the coffee puck after each brew.Ethan Miller
The gourmet burger revolution has swept into backyards and decks, as home cooks forgo frozen pucks of beef for fresh homemade patties.Eric Vellend
There are GPS pucks in all buses that track the bus.Tina Deetz, quoted in UWIRE Text

puck

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural pucks
1
: a mischievous sprite : hobgoblin
specifically, Puck : robin goodfellow
2
archaic : an evil spirit : demon

Examples of puck in a Sentence

Noun (2) dreamed that her garden was the secret meeting place of pucks and sprites
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Tanev is every bit the warrior he’s often described as, missing only one game this season despite his propensity to eat pucks. Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 Before the puck was dropped in that championship game, the Canadian anthem singer changed the lyrics to protest Trump. Scott Thompson, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025 Buffalo began its rally as Owen Power passed the puck from below the goal line to Cozens, who made a quick feed from the left to the right circle for Peterka, who scored on a one-timer that cut the deficit in half 1:56 into the third. Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2025 Wennberg got a shot on goal 40 seconds into overtime, marking the last time the Sharks touched the puck. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for puck

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

English dialect puck to poke, hit, probably from Irish poc butt, stroke in hurling, literally, buck (male deer)

Noun (2)

Middle English puke, from Old English pūca; akin to Old Norse pūki devil

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of puck was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Puck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puck. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

puck

1 of 2 noun
: a fairy or spirit who plays tricks on human beings

puck

2 of 2 noun
: a rubber disk used in ice hockey
Etymology

Noun

Old English pūca "evil spirit"

Noun

from a dialect word puck "to hit, poke," probably from Irish poc "butt, stroke in hurling," literally, "buck (male deer)"

More from Merriam-Webster on puck

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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