canine

noun

ca·nine | \ ˈkā-ˌnīn ,

British also ˈka- \

Definition of canine

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 [ 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 sense 1a broadly : canid

canine

adjective

Definition of canine (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of or resembling that of a dog canine loyalty

2 : of or relating to dogs or to the family (Canidae) including the canids canine diseases

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about canine

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Synonyms for canine

Synonyms: Noun

dog, doggy (or doggie), hound, pooch, tyke (also tike)

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.

Examples of canine in a Sentence

Noun

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 on the Web: Noun

The government agency is investigating a potential link between pet foods with peas, lentils, potatoes and other legume seeds and instances of canine dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs not typically vulnerable to the disease. — Jennifer Calfas, Time, "Dog Heart Disease May Be Linked to Potato-Based Pet Food, FDA Says," 13 July 2018 These micro-canines have gone beyond the teacup poodle to the single-shot-espresso-cup poodle. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "If your air bag inflates, you don’t want your feet on the dashboard," 9 July 2018 The cancer is known as CTVT, or canine transmissible venereal tumor. — Deborah Netburn, latimes.com, "North America's first dogs were domesticated in Siberia, but their descendants are all gone," 5 July 2018 Police departments in the US are using canines to sniff out thumb drives, phones, and other electronics. — Shannon Liao, The Verge, "Police departments are training dogs to sniff out thumb drives," 11 June 2018 This cute and uncannily realistic canine-bot is just one of many robots that are inspired by the natural world. — Adam Stanton, Scientific American, "Why Do Robots Look Like Animals and Humans?," 5 June 2018 The actor wasn't the only one preferring canine company at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal that night. — Emily Wang, Teen Vogue, "Jennifer Lawrence Reportedly Took Her Dog as Her Date to a Gala," 1 June 2018 He was found by a police canine unit hiding under a stairway in another apartment. — Laurel Andrews, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage man found guilty of murder in Fourth of July cookout shooting," 31 May 2018 The driver of the Rogue fled on foot, and police mounted what turned out to be an unsuccessful canine search. — Clifford Ward, chicagotribune.com, "Second person dies from crash last month in Bensenville; authorities issue warrant for driver they say caused incident," 3 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

In surveillance video released by the Apopka Police Department, the canine officer can be seen placing equipment in his police SUV when the bolt struck nearby. — Travis Fedschun, Fox News, "Lightning strikes just feet away police officer in Florida," 28 June 2018 The canine officer appeared to be putting equipment into his cruiser around 8: 30 p.m. when the bolt struck, causing him to scurry inside his car. — David Harris, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Watch the moment a lightning strike hit Apopka police headquarters, putting scare into officer," 27 June 2018 Police work is dangerous and difficult, for the canine officers as well as the humans who put their lives at risk every day to protect their communities, according to Havre de Grace Police Chief Teresa Walter. — David Anderson, The Aegis, "Havre de Grace Police K-9 receives donated ballistic vest," 26 June 2018 The dog’s body temperature reached the thermometer’s maximum reading of 110 degrees, which is about 9 degrees higher than a standard canine temperature, according to the statement. — Sophia Eppolito, BostonGlobe.com, "Chihuahua left in dog carrier dies of heatstroke," 11 July 2018 And thanks to the field of comparative oncology, the pipeline runs both ways – insights from canine cancer patients are informing human treatments. — Jessica Alice Farrell, Smithsonian, "Should We Share Human Cancer Treatments With Tumorous Turtles?," 11 July 2018 Each October, the Athenaeum pits dachshund against dachshund in a snappy sprint for the canine crown (a.k.a. — Sarah Bahr, Indianapolis Star, "Ultimate Indiana bucket list: 50+ things to do in Indianapolis and around the state," 11 July 2018 The canine actor playing King Charles’ beloved spaniel is yet to be announced. — Kt Hawbaker, chicagotribune.com, "Timothy Edward Kane and Scarlett Strallen lead cast for North American premiere of 'Nell Gwynn'," 10 July 2018 Last week, Outside features editor Elizabeth Hightower Allen sat down with Blakeslee to talk about wolf watching in Yellowstone, predator ecology, and writing about canine drama. — The Editors, Outside Online, "Beyond Books Club: The 'American Wolf' Author Podcast," 9 July 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.