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puddle jumper

puddle jumper

1 6.5
A small boat for shallow water or a person who jumps over puddles
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌdəl ˈdʒʌmpər/
translation icon : barca de poco calado
  • Everyone admired her as a puddle jumper when she gracefully skipped over every puddle on the playground.

Examples

  • The children used a puddle jumper to cross the shallow creek during the hike.

  • We rented a puddle jumper for an afternoon exploring the quiet backwaters.

  • The kids are puddle jumpers in the rain.

  • My brother is a real puddle jumper!

  • After a short drive to the coast, we boarded the puddle jumper to explore the nearby islands.

  • The adventurous boy loved to race across the park, pretending he was a skilled puddle jumper leaping over every puddle.

  • On our trip to the islands, we took a tiny puddle jumper that flew just above the water for stunning views.

Synonyms

jumper
vspuddle jumper
30 3.1

An athlete who jumps in events like the high or long jump

applies to playful shallow water leaping rather than formal athletic performance
hopper
vspuddle jumper
8 4.5

A person who jumps on one foot, often in games like hopscotch

centres on skilled leaping over shallow water pools rather than light playful bouncing
puddle pirate
vspuddle jumper
  • Baby Talk
9.4

A child who plays in puddles and pretends to find treasure

focuses on skilled leaping over shallow water pools rather than imaginative adventure

Antonyms

longboat
  • Archaic
5 7.0

A large boat carried on a ship to move people or goods between ship and shore

Surface Forms

puddle jumper singular

Morphology

puddle + jumper

The noun combines 'puddle' (a shallow pool of water) with 'jumper' (one who jumps), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to someone or something that 'jumps' puddles — e.g., a playful child or a small craft that crosses shallow water. This is a regular, compositional N+N compound following standard English formation, making the meaning directly derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Puddle jumper may come from a simple picture: something small and light that can cross shallow water. The name joins puddle and jumper — imagine a small boat that skims over puddles or a child who literally jumps across puddles, and that's why it can mean both 'a small boat for shallow water' and 'a playful person who jumps puddles'.