Definition and Meaning of “Puppy Love”
Term: Puppy love
Pronunciation: /ˈpʌp.i lʌv/
Part of Speech: Noun (uncountable)
- Definition: A mild, youthful infatuation or crush, typically experienced during adolescence.
Simple Explanation
Puppy love is when you have a sweet, often innocent crush—usually as a young teenager—on someone you admire.
Grammatical Formation
- Noun: puppy love
- “They experienced puppy love in middle school.”
- Usage note: Almost always used as an uncountable noun.
Synonyms
young crush, teenage infatuation, school‑girl/boy crush, juvenile fascination
Antonyms
mature love, deep affection, lasting love, adult romance
Related Terms
crush, infatuation, adolescent romance, first love, fleeting crush
Common Collocations
- experience puppy love
- fall into puppy love
- overcome puppy love
- school‑day puppy love
- innocent puppy love
Idiomatic Usage & Expressions
- “Young and in puppy love” – emphasizing youthful innocence.
- “Puppy-love phase” – a temporary stage of early romantic feelings.
- “Beyond puppy love” – moving from childish infatuation to deeper emotion.
Sample Sentences
- They met in eighth grade and shared a brief puppy love before high school.
- Most adults look back on their puppy love with a smile and a bit of nostalgia.
- She thought her puppy love would last forever—but it faded after summer.
- Puppy love often teaches teens about their first steps in romance.
- His puppy love for the pop star led him to collect all her posters.
Relationship to Sexuality
✅ Limited.
Puppy love refers to early, often non‑sexual infatuation. While it can involve mild physical attraction, it’s generally innocent and emotionally light, unlike mature sexual attraction or relationships.
Sexopedia.co is an educational glossary of sexual and gender-related terms—helping you improve your English while deepening your understanding of identity, sexuality, and self-expression.