waffle

UK: /ˈwɒf^əl/ US: /ˌwɑfəl/ ,(wof′əl)

Inflections of 'waffle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

waffles

v 3rd person singular

waffling

v pres p

waffled

v past

waffled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

waf•fle¹ /ˌwɑfəl/   n. [countable]

1. Food a batter cake baked in a hinged appliance (ˈwaf•fle ˌi•ron) that forms a gridlike pattern on each side.

waf•fle² /ˈwɑfəl/   v. [no object] , -fled, -fling. 

1. Informal Terms to speak or write without taking a definite stand;
   equivocate.

waf•fler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

waf•fle¹  (wof′əl), n. 

1. Food a batter cake with a pattern of deep indentations on each side, formed by the gridlike design on each of the two hinged parts of the metal appliance (waf′fle i′ron) in which the cake is baked.

adj. 

2. Also, waf′fled. having a gridlike or indented lattice shape or design:
   a waffle pattern.

• Dutch wafel
• 1735–45

waf•fle²  (wof′əl), v., -fled, -fling, n. [Informal.]
v.i. 

1. Informal Terms to speak or write equivocally:
   to waffle on an important issue.

v.t. 

2. Informal Terms to speak or write equivocally about:
   to waffle a campaign promise.

n. 

3. Informal Terms waffling language.

• 1890–95; origin, originally dialect, dialectal (Scots, north, northern England): to wave about, flutter, waver, be hesitant; probably waff + -le

waf′fler, n. 
waf′fling•ly, adv. 
waf′fly, adj. 

waf•fle³  (wof′əl), v.i., -fled, -fling. [Brit.]

1. to talk foolishly or without purpose;
   idle away time talking.

• 1695–1705; origin, originally dialect, dialectal (north, northern England); apparently waff to bark, yelp (imitative) + -le

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

waffle / ˈwɒf^əl/ noun

1. a crisp golden-brown pancake with deep indentations on both sides
2. (as modifier): waffle iron

Etymology: 19th Century: from Dutch wafel (earlier wæfel), of Germanic origin; related to Old High German wabo honeycomb

waffle / ˈwɒf^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) often followed by on: to speak or write in a vague and wordy manner

noun

1. vague and wordy speech or writing

Etymology: 19th Century: of unknown origin

ˈwaffling adjective , noun