Two Waffles: One You Eat, One You Endure
A waffle is a batter cake cooked in a patterned iron. The British verb meaning to talk at length without saying anything is a different word.
A waffle is a batter cake cooked between two hot patterned plates. The verb meaning to talk vaguely and at length is a separate word: it comes from *waff*, an old imitation of a dog yapping, and appeared in English around 1700 — two centuries before Belgian waffles reached an international audience at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
- A batter cake. *Waffles with syrup.*
- To talk vaguely (British). *He waffled for twenty minutes.*
- To be indecisive (American). *The board waffled on the decision.*
- Waffle iron — the cooking device. *A cast-iron waffle iron.*
- Waffly — vague and long-winded. *A waffly answer.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | waffle | A crisp waffle. |
| Plural | waffles | Two waffles. |
| Verb | waffle | Stop waffling. |
| Noun | waffling | Endless waffling. |
| Dutch source | wafel | The food. |
- Waffles are best eaten straight from the iron.Food.
- The essay was three pages of waffle.British: empty words.
- He waffled instead of choosing.American: hesitated.
Waffle means different things
- British — to talk or write at length without content
- American — to be unable to decide
- The noun in Britain often means padding in an essay or speech
- Both verbs come from the yapping word, not the food
- The food is Dutch *wafel*, related to a word for honeycomb
The food is Dutch *wafel*, from a Germanic root connected with honeycomb and weaving. The verb is from *waff*, imitating a dog's yelp, recorded from around 1700.
Does waffle mean the same in Britain and America?
No. In Britain it means to talk at length without substance. In America it means to be indecisive.
Are the food and the verb related?
No. The food is Dutch; the verb imitates a yapping dog.