Waddle vs. Wattle — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 25, 2023
"Waddle" refers to a clumsy, swaying walk, often like a duck, while "wattle" denotes a fleshy lobe hanging from a bird's neck or a construction of poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches.
Difference Between Waddle and Wattle
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
To waddle is to walk with a clumsy, side-to-side motion, especially noticeable in birds like ducks. On the other hand, a wattle can be the fleshy lobe that hangs from the neck or head of some birds or a form of construction material.
When someone says a duck waddles, they're referring to the distinctive way the bird moves, its body swaying side to side. When mentioning a turkey's wattle, it's the fleshy part dangling from its neck they're talking about.
Penguins are another creature that might be described as having a waddle, given their unique walk. In contrast, in Australia, you might come across a wattle tree, which is a type of acacia.
Babies, when they're first learning to walk, might waddle as they try to maintain balance. Conversely, a wattle and daub refers to an old building method where walls were made using a network of sticks (wattle) covered with clay or mud.
While the waddle of a penguin might be charming and endearing, a wattle fence, made by weaving thin branches between upright stakes, can be seen as both functional and decorative in certain rustic settings.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb (referring to a manner of walking)
Noun (referring to a bird's anatomical feature or a construction method/material)
Meaning
A clumsy, swaying walk
A fleshy lobe on a bird's neck or a construction of poles intertwined with twigs or branches
Usage
Typically used to describe the walking style of certain animals
Often relates to birds or traditional construction techniques
Associations
Ducks, penguins, toddling babies
Turkeys, chickens, wattle and daub constructions
Etymology
From Middle English 'waddlen' meaning to waddle
From Middle English 'watel' meaning twig
Compare with Definitions
Waddle
To walk with short, unsteady steps, swaying from side to side.
The toddler began to waddle across the room.
Wattle
A fleshy and often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat.
The turkey's red wattle was quite noticeable.
Waddle
To toddle or shuffle due to being overweight or cumbersome.
The overloaded backpack made the hiker waddle.
Wattle
A method of construction using interwoven rods and twigs.
Wattle weaving is a traditional craft in some cultures.
Waddle
To move with a rocking motion.
The penguin seemed to waddle with confidence.
Wattle
A material for making fences, walls, etc., consisting of rods or stakes interlaced with twigs or branches.
Waddle
To move slowly and unsteadily.
After the long race, he could only waddle to the finish line.
Wattle
An acacia.
Waddle
Walk with short steps and a clumsy swaying motion
Three geese waddled across the road
Wattle
A coloured fleshy lobe hanging from the head or neck of the turkey and some other birds.
Waddle
A waddling gait
I walk with a waddle
Wattle
Make, enclose, or fill up with wattle.
Waddle
To walk with short steps that tilt the body from side to side.
Wattle
A construction of poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches, used for walls, fences, and roofs.
Waddle
To walk heavily and clumsily with a pronounced sway.
Wattle
Material used for such construction.
Waddle
A swaying gait
The waddle of ducks.
Wattle
(Botany) Any of various Australian trees or shrubs of the genus Acacia.
Waddle
A squat, swaying gait.
The waddle of a duck
Wattle
A fleshy, wrinkled, often brightly colored fold of skin usually hanging from the neck or throat, characteristic of certain birds, reptiles, and mammals.
Waddle
(intransitive) To walk with short steps, tilting the body from side to side.
Wattle
To construct from wattle.
Waddle
(intransitive) To move slowly.
Wattle
To weave into wattle.
Waddle
To walk with short steps, swaying the body from one side to the other, like a duck or very fat person; to move clumsily and totteringly along; to toddle; to stumble; as, a child waddles when he begins to walk; a goose waddles.
She drawls her words, and waddles in her pace.
Wattle
A construction of branches and twigs woven together to form a wall, barrier, fence, or roof.
Waddle
To trample or tread down, as high grass, by walking through it.
Wattle
A single twig or rod laid on a roof to support the thatch.
Waddle
Walking with a waddling gait; walking with short steps and the weight shifting from one foot to the other
Wattle
A wrinkled fold of skin, sometimes brightly coloured, hanging from the neck of birds (such as chicken and turkey) and some lizards.
Waddle
Walk unsteadily;
Small children toddle
Wattle
A barbel of a fish.
Waddle
A manner of walking characteristic to ducks.
The duck's waddle always amused the children.
Wattle
A decorative fleshy appendage on the neck of a goat.
Wattle
Loose hanging skin in the neck of a person.
Wattle
Any of several Australian trees and shrubs of the genus Acacia, or their bark, used in tanning.
Wattle
This plant seen as the national emblem of Australia.
Wattle
(transitive) To construct a wattle, or make a construction of wattles.
Wattle
(transitive) To bind with wattles or twigs.
Wattle
A twig or flexible rod; hence, a hurdle made of such rods.
And there he built with wattles from the marshA little lonely church in days of yore.
Wattle
A rod laid on a roof to support the thatch.
Wattle
A naked fleshy, and usually wrinkled and highly colored, process of the skin hanging from the chin or throat of a bird or reptile.
Wattle
The astringent bark of several Australian trees of the genus Acacia, used in tanning; - called also wattle bark.
Wattle
Material consisting of wattled twigs, withes, etc., used for walls, fences, and the like.
Wattle
In Australasia, any tree of the genus Acacia; - so called from the wattles, or hurdles, which the early settlers made of the long, pliable branches or of the split stems of the slender species. The bark of such trees is also called wattle. See also Savanna wattle, under Savanna.
Wattle
To bind with twigs.
Wattle
To twist or interweave, one with another, as twigs; to form a network with; to plat; as, to wattle branches.
Wattle
To form, by interweaving or platting twigs.
The folded flocks, penned in their wattled cotes.
Wattle
A fleshy wrinkled and often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat of certain birds (chickens and turkeys) or lizards
Wattle
Framework consisting of stakes interwoven with branches to form a fence
Wattle
Build of or with wattle
Wattle
Interlace to form wattle
Wattle
A construction of poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches.
The ancient hut was made of wattle and daub.
Wattle
Any of various Australian trees of the genus Acacia.
The golden wattle is a popular Australian tree.
Wattle
A series of connected rods or bars, as in a fence.
The garden was surrounded by a charming wattle fence.
Common Curiosities
Do all birds waddle?
No, only certain birds, like ducks and penguins, are typically described as waddling.
Can wattle refer to something other than a bird's anatomy?
Yes, it can also refer to a construction method using intertwined sticks or a type of Australian tree.
Is wattle always associated with birds?
Not always. It can also refer to a construction technique or certain types of trees.
What does it mean when someone is said to waddle?
It means they walk with a clumsy, side-to-side motion, often like a duck.
Can humans waddle?
Yes, especially toddlers or individuals who walk with a side-to-side motion due to various reasons.
How is wattle used in construction?
It refers to a technique using woven sticks covered with clay or mud, known as "wattle and daub".
Do all birds have wattles?
No, only certain bird species have wattles.
Is it common for toddlers to waddle when they start walking?
Yes, many toddlers waddle as they learn to balance and walk.
Are waddle and wattle homophones?
They sound similar but have different meanings and usages.
Is the golden wattle a bird?
No, it's a type of Acacia tree native to Australia.
Can wattle refer to a color?
Not typically. However, wattles on birds can come in various colors.
Why do ducks waddle?
Their body structure and short legs cause this distinctive manner of walking.
Is a wattle always visible on birds that possess it?
Not always, but it's often noticeable, especially on birds like turkeys.
Can the word waddle be used as a noun?
Yes, referring to the act or manner of waddling.
Are there any idioms or phrases associated with waddle?
One common phrase is "waddle like a duck", emphasizing a particular way of walking.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
