dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt  -ˌhu̇nd 

ˈdäk-sənt;

especially British ˈdak-sənd

: any of a breed of long-bodied, short-legged dogs of German origin that occur in short-haired, long-haired, and wirehaired varieties

Illustration of dachshund

Examples of dachshund in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The mini dachshund tries to keep up as much as possible. —Idaho Statesman, 4 Nov. 2025

In November 2025, Leclerc proposed to Mleux — with a little help from their dachshund, Leo. —Haley Van Horn, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025

The dachshund ended up hilariously opting to balance both eating and barking in a somewhat even rhythm. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

This whimsical spot, named for the owners’ two dachshunds, serves up tacos, burgers, and other bar bites, but the real standouts are the frozen cocktails. —Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

German, from Dachs badger + Hund dog

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt  ˈdäk-sənt 

: any of a breed of dogs of German origin with a long body, very short legs, and long drooping ears

Etymology

from German Dachshund "dachshund," literally, "badger dog," from Dachs "badger" and Hund dog

Word Origin

The dachshund is a dog with short legs and a long history. The breed was developed in Germany more than a thousand years ago to hunt burrowing animals such as badgers. With its short legs and long, powerful body, the dachshund could follow a badger right down into its hole. It could even fight with the badger underground. The German name for the breed was Dachshund, a compound of Dachs, meaning "badger," and Hund, "dog." This German name was borrowed directly into English.