terrier
A dog from a group of small, lively breeds, originally bred for the hunting of…A dog from a group of small, lively breeds, originally bred for the hunting of burrowing prey such as rats, rabbits, foxes, and even otters; this original function is reflected in some of their names (e.g. rat terrier).
» My cat lives with a fox terrier.
Meaning
5 sensesA dog from a group of small, lively breeds, originally bred for the hunting of burrowing prey such as rats, rabbits, foxes, and even otters; this original function is reflected in some of their names (e.g. rat terrier).
Terrier
терье́рterʹjér
Someone displaying terrier-like qualities such as determined pursuit.
(historical)A collection of acknowledgments of the vassals or tenants of a lordship, containing the rents and services they owed to the lord, etc.
An inventory (book or roll) in which the lands of private persons or corporations are described by their site, boundaries, number of acres, etc.; a terrar.
An auger or borer.
- any of several usually small short-bodied breeds originally trained to hunt animals living underground
Examples
5 sentencesMy cat lives with a fox terrier.
She entered her terrier in a dog show.
His attitude was that of the terrier to the perambulating cat.
She lives in the suburbs with her rat terrier and two children.
The Cairn terrier is a relatively small dog, with Scottish origins.
deDer Cairn-Terrier ist ein recht kleiner Hund schottischen Ursprungs.
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from Middle French, from Old French chien terrier (“terrier dog”), from chien (“dBorrowed from Middle French, from Old French chien terrier (“terrier dog”), from chien (“dog”) + Old French terrier (“of earth”, adjective), from Medieval Latin terrarius (“of earth”), from Latin terra (“earth”).
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman terrier, from Old French terrier (“of earth”, adjective), from Medieval Latin terrarius (“of earth”), from Latin terra (“earth”).
Compare Latin terō (“to rub, to rub away”), terebra (“a borer”).
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