What does putter mean?
A putter is most commonly the flat-faced golf club used on the green to roll the ball toward the hole. A golfer may use a putter for a short, controlled stroke, so choosing and aiming the club can be as important as the stroke itself. The word can also identify a golfer who putts, though this sense is less frequent than the reference to the club. As a verb, putter means to continue an activity without meaningful progress, often in an idle, aimless, or mildly annoying manner: someone might say, “Stop puttering around and get on with it.” The expression putter around is especially common in informal British and American English. Together, these senses connect the deliberate repetition of putting or working with the image of activity that continues without achieving much. Putter is therefore useful when discussing both golf technique and informal descriptions of unnecessary delay.
A golf club with a relatively flat face, used to strike the ball on the green so that it rolls toward or into the hole. More rarely, the word can denote a golfer, especially one who putts.
"The ball broke slightly to the right, just as his putter reached it."
The golf-club sense is standard in both British and American English; the golfer sense is comparatively uncommon.
To continue doing something without making significant progress, especially in a lingering or aimless way.
"They puttered around the workshop all afternoon without finishing the repair."
This is informal and commonly used with around or about; it often expresses mild criticism or impatience.
The plural is used for multiple golf clubs or, less commonly, multiple golfers who putt.
"The shop sells lightweight putters for beginners."
The putter may be the shortest club in the bag, but it can still test a golfer's patience more than any other.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does putter come from?
The golf-club noun comes from putt, the name of the rolling stroke used on the green, with the suffix -er. The verb putter is built on put with the suffix -er and developed the meaning of continuing idly or without getting anywhere. These are English formations, with related forms including putt, putting, and the base verb put.
Related word forms
How putter is actually used
The verb is informal and often carries a mildly critical or exasperated implication of aimless delay. The golf-club noun is neutral technical terminology, while the personal-noun sense is relatively uncommon.
Easily confused with putter
A putter is the club used to make a putt, while a putt is the stroke or the attempt to roll the ball into the hole.
A putter is associated with golf or with lingering at an activity, whereas a potter makes objects from clay.