Alsatian

1 of 2

adjective

Al·​sa·​tian al-ˈsā-shən How to pronounce Alsatian (audio)
1
: relating to, situated in, inhabiting, or coming from Alsace
Alsatian wines
Her parents are Alsatian.
Working out of a cramped second-floor kitchen, Jung has inspired the young new chefs to reinterpret the classics of Alsatian cuisine.S. Irene Virbilia
2
British : of, relating to, or being a German shepherd
an Alsatian dog

Alsatian

2 of 2

noun

plural Alsatians
1
British : german shepherd
Jean Muir has no fewer than three dogs … one is a pointer, one is a Labrador … and the third is an Alsatian, a guard dog.Michael Musto
… it looked like an Alsatian, though it was far too big to be a dog. Then he realised that it was a wolf …C. S. Lewis
2
: a native or inhabitant of Alsace
The transition from French to German rule in Alsace was extremely difficult for many of its inhabitants. … Indeed, an impressive number of Alsatians emigrated rather than accept the new regime.Gerard J. Brault
3
: a wine made in Alsace
And the range of wines produced by the riesling grape? They spread across the spectrum, from desert-dry Alsatians to syrupy ice wines from Washington and New York State …Chuck Sudo
4
: a dialect of German spoken in Alsace
Most of the passengers on our cruise lived near Strasbourg, the home base of the cruise line. They spoke French, German, or Alsatian, a regional dialect.Gail Russell Chaddock

Examples of Alsatian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In this dish from Daniela Galarza, inspired by the flavors of Alsatian choucroute garnie, shredded cabbage is the base of a sheet pan filled with pork sausage, onions, tangy sauerkraut and punchy mustard. Matt Brooks, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2023 Raoul’s, for example, the French bistro opened by Alsatian brothers, Serge and Guy Raoul, in 1975. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 16 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Alsatian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin Alsatia Alsace

First Known Use

Adjective

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of Alsatian was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near Alsatian

Cite this Entry

“Alsatian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Alsatian. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Alsatian

noun
Al·​sa·​tian al-ˈsā-shən How to pronounce Alsatian (audio)

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