puppyship

English

Etymology

puppy +‎ -ship

Noun

puppyship (plural puppyships)

1. (humorous) Informal title applied to a puppy.
   • 1905 November 27, “Police Are In Mourning”, in The Spokesman-Review:

     The puppy, a wee thing, rotund as a butter ball, wandered into the police station several days ago. His puppyship made himself at home immediately.

   • 1917, C. Arthur Coan, The Fragrant Note Book: Romance and Legend of the Flower Garden and the Bye-Way, G. P. Putnam's Sons, published 1917, page 32:

     About this time his master folds up his paper, tells his puppyship, "No, he can't come," and is gone to the office, wherever that is.

   • 1921, Mary Briarly, In His Own Image, The Macmillan Company, published 1921, page 60:

     He displaced a warm whimpering bundle of young dog from the fur robe and handed him to Minette.
     The girl gathered up his puppyship and held him close against her. He curled down contentedly absorbing the warmth of her arms and body.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:puppyship.