Illustration of Labrador retriever
Labrador retriever
noun
Lab·ra·dor retriever
ˈla-brə-ˌdȯr- 
: any of a breed of medium-sized strongly built retrievers largely developed in England from stock originating in Newfoundland and having a short dense black, yellow, or chocolate coat and a thick rounded tail
called also Lab, Labrador
Examples of Labrador retriever in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hope Anne, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever Meet Hope Anne — a bouncy, lovable black Lab mix with a heart full of joy and a tail that just won’t quit.
—
Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
The camera then pans to the feline napping in their dog Gunny's bed—not in Emmie the bull dog's spot, but in the Labrador retriever's comfy haven.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
The dozen dogs on Pup Patrol represent a variety of breeds, including Cavalier King Charles spaniel, beagle, Australian shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Tibetan spaniel, Labrador retriever, goldendoodle and mixed breeds.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
While a typical Labrador retriever or border collie had a median life expectancy of just over 13 years, the researchers found that almost across the board, flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs fared worse by that measure.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
The pit bull/Labrador retriever mix arrived at Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue in Houston over two years ago.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2023
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Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
The camera then pans to the feline napping in their dog Gunny's bed—not in Emmie the bull dog's spot, but in the Labrador retriever's comfy haven.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
The dozen dogs on Pup Patrol represent a variety of breeds, including Cavalier King Charles spaniel, beagle, Australian shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Tibetan spaniel, Labrador retriever, goldendoodle and mixed breeds.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
While a typical Labrador retriever or border collie had a median life expectancy of just over 13 years, the researchers found that almost across the board, flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs fared worse by that measure.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
The pit bull/Labrador retriever mix arrived at Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue in Houston over two years ago.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Labrador retriever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Labrador%20retriever. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Labrador retriever
noun
Lab·ra·dor retriever
ˌlab-rə-ˌdȯr-
: any of a breed of strongly built retrievers having a broad head, a short dense black, yellow, or chocolate coat, and a thick rounded tail
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