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

Tini's owner had shared on Instagram that the miniature dachshund was born in 2024 and that the pair are based in Dallas, Texas. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025

The most popular event of all is the Long Dog Derby, in which wiener dogs (dachshunds) show off their racing skills. —Laura Daily, Denver Post, 1 Sep. 2025

The 14-year-old dachshund captured hearts and minds around the globe after he’d been reported stolen in June from Angel Santiago, his Logan Square owner. —Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025

Faced with this existential crisis, Bull gathers his best pals—Rocco, a gruff boxer (Idris Elba); Lucky, a dopey but loyal beagle (Bobby Moynihan); and Fetch, a wannabe influencer dachshund (Fred Armisen)—for one final night of canine mischief. —Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 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.