dachshund

noun dachs·hund \ ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt , -ˌhu̇nd ; ˈdäk-sənt ; especially British ˈdak-sənd \

Definition of dachshund

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

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Recent Examples of dachshund from the Web

Name: Ruby Breed: Dachshund and Chihuahua Mix Age: N/A Fun Fact: Separated from her puppies, this mutt needs a loving place to call home.

— samantha brodsky, Good Housekeeping, "50 Adorable Mixed-Breed Dogs You Can Adopt by State," 28 July 2017
Dachshunds race in categories including Little Smokies, Frankfurter, Bratwurst, Senior Sausages and Tootsie Roll.

— annie alleman, Wheaton Glen Ellyn, "Cantigny gives dogs their day at August event," 27 July 2017
The Queen currently has a corgi named Willow, and two corgi-dachshund mixes (i.e. dorgis) named Vulcan and Candy.

— kenzie bryant, Vanities, "Has Queen Elizabeth Adopted Another Corgi?," 18 July 2017
Sixty-four Dachshunds competed in the 2017 Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals in eight heats and one final between Saturday’s horse races at the California State Fair at Cal Expo.

— sacbee, "Who’s the fastest little wiener dog? You are!," 15 July 2017
Racing dachshunds took center stage Sunday at Old World Village in Huntington Beach during a celebration of German culture.

— daily pilot staff, Daily Pilot, "Racing ‘wiener dogs’ help H.B.’s Old World Village celebrate German Heritage Day," 10 July 2017
Officers also found a dachshund named George was found dead in the home as well.

— gal tziperman lotan, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Prosecutors to seek death penalty for accused X-Box murderers again," 6 July 2017
Each layer reacts to progressively more abstract features, allowing the final layer to distinguish, say, terrier from dachshund.

— paul voosen, Science | AAAS, "How AI detectives are cracking open the black box of deep learning," 6 July 2017
Alexandra Mikos, a travel agent for Paul Klein Travel, has been bringing Rudi, her 4-year-old miniature pinscher-dachshund mix, to work with her regularly since the building began allowing it.

— robert channick, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago offices going to the dogs," 23 June 2017

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

Illustration of dachshund

Origin and Etymology of dachshund

German, from Dachs badger + Hund dog

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1878

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Other Mammals Terms

dormouse, dugong, gibbon, grimalkin, sable, stoat, ungulate, vole

DACHSHUND Defined for English Language Learners

dachshund

noun

Definition of dachshund for English Language Learners

: a small type of dog that has a long body, very short legs, and long ears

DACHSHUND Defined for Kids

dachshund

noun dachs·hund \ ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt , ˈdäk-sənt \

Definition of dachshund for Students

:a small dog of German origin with a long body, short legs, and long drooping ears

History for dachshund

Several centuries ago, the Germans developed a dog with short legs and a long body. These dogs were used to hunt burrowing animals such as badgers. Because of their shape, the dogs could follow a badger right down its hole. The Germans gave these dogs the name Dachshund, a compound word formed from Dachs, “badger,” and Hund, “dog.” The English word dachshund came from this German name.