canine

noun ca·nine \ ˈkā-ˌnīn , British also ˈka- \

Updated on: 17 May 2018

Definition of canine

[Middle English, from Latin (dens) caninus canine tooth]

: a conical pointed tooth; especially : one situated between the lateral incisor and the first premolar — see tooth illustration

2 : dog 1a; broadly : canid

See canine defined for English-language learners

Examples of canine in a Sentence

in the minds of some, the winner of this prestigious dog show has a fair claim to the title of King of the Canines

Recent Examples of canine from the Web

Owners must be mindful of their canines when out in the heat.

— azcentral, "AZ Memo: Legislature adjourns, #RedForEd teacher grades lawmakers; celebrate Cinco de Mayo in downtown Phoenix," 4 May 2018
But ever since the museum was built, Inujima—or Dog Island, so named because a huge boulder is said to resemble a crouching canine—has seen its fortunes transformed.

— pico iyer, WSJ, "Why Japan’s Art-Filled Archipelago Is Not to Be Missed," 24 Apr. 2018
Glisson said deputies searched the area and, with the help of a canine, discovered a man hiding in bushes at 6:38 p.m. Deputies arrested him at 6:47 p.m. after witnesses identified him as the robber, Glisson said.

— gary warth, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Deputies arrest suspect in 3 Vista robberies," 23 Apr. 2018
Known as Dog Day, the game sets aside a few sections at Guaranteed Rate Field for canines, so the Fido-to-human ratio will please you dog lovers.

— sue kwong, Chicago Reader, "Sports / Animals Dog Day brings the best (in show) to Guaranteed Rate Field [PHOTOS]," 23 Apr. 2018
With the help of canines, police searched the building for the shooter but came up empty-handed.

— keri blakinger, Houston Chronicle, "1 shot at west Houston club," 22 Apr. 2018
The man fought with officers and the police canine, injuring the dog, the police bureau said.

— elliot njus, OregonLive.com, "Man arrested after shooting house, people with air rifle in SE Portland, police say," 10 Apr. 2018
Dogs are now regularly trained to detect drugs, explosives, electronics, and agricultural products, but the search for looted artifacts would be new territory for canines.

— staff, The Christian Science Monitor, "Meanwhile in ... Tanzania, Barabaig and Masai lion hunters join Oxford's Lion Defenders program," 29 Mar. 2018
The attacking dog's owner, who was also injured trying to separate the canines, was cited for animals running at large, no valid tag and registration and dangerous dog.

— john benson, cleveland.com, "Apartment burglar steals cash, cologne and medication: Brooklyn Police Blotter," 26 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'canine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Dogs are prized for their talents and intelligence but aren't always given credit for their independence. Instead, tales of canine devotion and attachment are legendary; the old Lassie and Rin-Tin-Tin television series featured at least one heroic act of devotion per show. So we often hear people described as having "doglike devotion" or "doglike loyalty". But canine itself, unlike doglike, usually refers to four-legged creatures. Canine is not only an adjective but also a noun. Dogs and their relatives in the Canidae family—the wolves, jackals, foxes, and coyotes—are often called canines. And so are those two slightly pointed teeth a bit to the right and left of your front teeth.