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

Some adverse reactions to look out for can be diarrhea and bellyaches. If your canine (and their stomach) loves the new snack, then great. — Jackie Frere, Woman's Day, "Can Dogs Eat Apples? A Veterinarian Weighs In," 2 Apr. 2019 After Underdog Rescue saved the uncomely canine, current owner Megan Brainard found her on Petfinder and adopted her. — Michelle Ewing, ajc, "World's Ugliest Dog Contest: Zsa Zsa the English bulldog slurps up 2018 title," 24 June 2018 Approximately 25 other state agencies have wildlife detection canines, Wendt said. — Sarah Wu, The Seattle Times, "Meet Benny the dog, Washington’s newest weapon in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking," 22 June 2018 The only area that allows off-leash canines at all is the city’s North Beach, also known as Dog Beach, from the end of 29th Street north to the Solana Beach border. — Phil Diehl, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Del Mar loosens leash on dog restrictions," 3 Apr. 2018 While the cafe does offer evening rescue events where shelters bring in dogs available for adoption, boarding canines on site would take the challenges to a whole new level. — Anne Kadet, WSJ, "New East Village Cafe is Strictly ‘Bring Your Own Dog’," 6 Mar. 2018 Rooms start at $259 a night, and families with kids or canines are welcome to book. — Carmen Rosy Hall, Vogue, "Tranquility Rules at Sister City, the Newest Hotel on Bowery," 30 Apr. 2019 Some canines are even more naturally empathetic to humans. — Alexandra Gekas, Woman's Day, "9 Things Your Dog Is Trying to Tell You, According to Experts," 25 Feb. 2019 Still, those American dogs left something behind: canine transmissible venereal tumors, which can spread from dog to dog, according to a news release obtained by The Detroit Free Press. — Josh Magness, miamiherald, "Europeans arrived — and America's native dogs disappeared. They left something behind," 6 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Meet Rooster, Jenny Wren, Jaybird and Mink, the canine counterparts of John Rucker, a retired schoolteacher from Montana. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Very Good Dogs Helped Track Threatened Turtles in Iowa," 7 June 2019 That is, our house is under canine government now that the dogs outnumber us three to two. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "Animal House — part 2: Basic training can make unruly dogs fit for home life," 6 June 2019 Soon the students at Rowan University will be able to turn to canine comfort to combat college stress. — Ray Boyd, https://www.inquirer.com, "Overdose death changes two families forever; The future of Germantown High School | Morning Newsletter," 6 June 2019 Four officers, two detectives and two canine handlers, arrived at the municipal building and the sound of gunfire led them to the shooter. — David Shortell And Amanda Jackson, CNN, "These are some of the people who helped save others during the Virginia Beach shooting," 4 June 2019 That is, our house is under canine government control now that the dogs outnumber us three to two. — Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, "A home gone to the dogs," 4 June 2019 The Emricks don’t have kids but have raised several dogs always referred to as their canine children. — Stephen Whyno, The Denver Post, "Doc is in: Emrick not slowing down in his dream job," 4 June 2019 Today, that market has given rise to an attention-getting micro-genre: canine streetwear. — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, "Men Who Love Streetwear—and Dress Their Dogs to Match," 6 May 2019 The process is complex, but Kari Ekenstedt, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor and canine genetics specialist at Purdue University did her best to explain. — Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, "I Tried the Most Popular Dog DNA Tests to Find the Best One," 22 May 2019

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.