cocker spaniel

noun

cock·​er spaniel ˈkä-kər- 

1

: english cocker spaniel

2

: any of a breed of spaniels developed in the U.S. from the English cocker spaniel that are smaller in size and have a shorter muzzle and longer thicker coat

Examples of cocker spaniel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nidhi’s neighbor Payal had a cocker spaniel named Lucy, who regularly dripped spots of blood onto the driveway. — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed their English cocker spaniel, Lupo, in 2011. — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026

Woolf, who desired a palate cleanser after finishing her experimental novel The Waves, focused her energies on the life story of the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s cocker spaniel. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Other breeds that are at risk for pancreatitis include miniature dachshunds, poodles and cocker spaniels. — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

cocking woodcock hunting

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cocker spaniel

• granule

Kids Definition

cocker spaniel

noun

cock·​er spaniel ˌkäk-ər- 

: any of a breed of small spaniels with long drooping ears and long silky coat