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

This lookalike features an adorable dachshund tassel that adds personality to the already bold bag without being too much. — Mia McManus, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2026

There’s a new one this year at Union Station – along with an extra perk for dachshund owners. — Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026

But the first thing that came up in my feed happened to be a picture of a dachshund. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

In the front room, Burnett and Khouri’s dachshunds, Ike and Mamie—named for the Eisenhowers and just shy of a year old—hold court on the couple’s George Smith sofa upholstered in a Mark Alexander blue velvet. — Caroline Randall Williams, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 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.