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

Someone remembers him admiring her dachshunds. —Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), dachshunds come in two sizes—essentially small and smaller. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025

The colorful men’s, women’s, children’s and accessories casual Mediterranean style brand — distinguished by its dachshund symbol — was founded in Naples by four brothers in 1986. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025

Roscoe’s later years coincided with the emergence of a new generation of F1 paddock pets, most notably Charles Leclerc’s dachshund Leo, who joined the Ferrari driver’s family in April 2024. —Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025

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.