Labrador retriever

noun

: 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

Illustration of Labrador retriever

Illustration of labrador retriever

Examples of Labrador retriever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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President Clinton’s chocolate Labrador retriever, Buddy, was in the family as Clinton weathered the scandal over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 The Instagram Reel featured glimpses of the family—and their black Labrador retriever Pula and beagle Mia—enjoying the English countryside. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 13 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, beneath Hingson’s desk, his guide dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Roselle, was asleep. Diane Herbst, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2026 Elmer is a Labrador retriever mix who was brought to our shelter after being found as a stray. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Labrador retriever

Word History

Etymology

Labrador, Newfoundland

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Labrador retriever was in 1845

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Cite this Entry

“Labrador retriever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Labrador%20retriever. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

Labrador retriever

noun
: 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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