Chihuahua

noun

Chi·​hua·​hua chə-ˈwä-(ˌ)wä How to pronounce Chihuahua (audio)
shə-,
-wə
: any of a breed of very small roundheaded dogs that occur in short-coated and long-coated varieties

Examples of Chihuahua in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mark Twain luxuriated in Versailles like a Chihuahua ripping apart the contents of a lingerie drawer. Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025 Eventually, Will is drugged and hallucinates a full-out dance number (including giving a voice to his faithful pet Chihuahua, Betty Maria White Trent) before breaking the cult and returning to the job full time. Bob Verini, Variety, 4 June 2025 Voters in this district of Chihuahua, Morelos, have to go through 13 ballots — six federal and seven local — to get to all the candidates. James Wagner, New York Times, 1 June 2025 And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 1,306 measles cases and one death as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry. Devi Shastri, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Chihuahua

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from Chihuahua, Mexico

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chihuahua was in 1858

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chihuahua.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chihuahua. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

Chihuahua

noun
Chi·​hua·​hua chə-ˈwä-(ˌ)wä How to pronounce Chihuahua (audio)
shə-,
-wə
: any of a breed of very small large-eared dogs that originated in Mexico
Etymology

named for Chihuahua, a state in Mexico

Geographical Definition

Chihuahua

geographical name

Chi·​hua·​hua chē-ˈwä-(ˌ)wä How to pronounce Chihuahua (audio)
chə-,
-wə
1
state of northern Mexico bordering on the U.S. (Texas and New Mexico) area 95,400 square miles (247,086 square kilometers), population 3,406,465
2
city, and capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua metropolitan area population 819,543

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