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

Picnic Day has displays from student organizations and university resources, alongside entertainment like racing dachshunds and the Davis Chinese Orchestra. —Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2026

The former monarch’s dachshund Tillia was also present and posed as a member of the family for the occasion. —Marta Martínez Tato, Vanity Fair, 17 Apr. 2026

Lindsay, meanwhile, has a dachshund to find. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026

Today, the only people in the lobby are a group of women with a brindle dachshund who are comparing enneagrams. —Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 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.