dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt  -ˌhu̇nd 

ˈdäk-sənt;

especially British ˈdak-sənd

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

Illustration of dachshund

Examples of dachshund in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, all eight dogs — which included a labradoodle, mini dachshund, mountain dog, Aussie mix, sheepdog, lab mix and two huskies — were all found safe and reunited with their owners. —Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026

Amendola now resides in the home with his girlfriend and their long-haired dachshund, Birdy. —Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026

At the center of it all remained Mimi, Nahmias’ dachshund and the inspiration behind the crochet keychains, as well as the oversize installation positioned near the entrance. —Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026

Waldi, the dachshund mascot of the 1972 Olympics in Munich, on display at the Dachshund Museum. —Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German, from Dachs badger + Hund dog

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt  ˈdäk-sənt 

: any of a breed of dogs of German origin with a long body, very short legs, and long drooping ears

Etymology

from German Dachshund "dachshund," literally, "badger dog," from Dachs "badger" and Hund dog

Word Origin

The dachshund is a dog with short legs and a long history. The breed was developed in Germany more than a thousand years ago to hunt burrowing animals such as badgers. With its short legs and long, powerful body, the dachshund could follow a badger right down into its hole. It could even fight with the badger underground. The German name for the breed was Dachshund, a compound of Dachs, meaning "badger," and Hund, "dog." This German name was borrowed directly into English.