American pit bull terrier

1 of 2

noun (1)

: any of a breed of muscular, agile dogs that have a short, smooth coat, were developed to combine the traits of terriers and bulldogs, have extremely powerful jaws and great strength and tenacity, and that were originally bred for dog fighting

called also pit bull terrier

pit bull

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

or pit bull terrier : a muscular, short-haired, stocky dog (such as an American pit bull terrier or American Staffordshire terrier) of any of several breeds or a hybrid with one or more of these breeds that was originally developed for fighting and is noted for strength, stamina, and tenacity

2

: an aggressive and tenacious person

Synonyms of American pit bull terrier

Noun (2)

• tiger

Examples of American pit bull terrier in a Sentence

Noun (2)

a pit bull who won't let anyone stand in her way to the top of the corporate ladder

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In addition to money problems, McNamara also faced hardship when his pit bull, Boo, was diagnosed with cancer, which required costly treatments. —Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026

Some crew members went to investigate, and found a pit bull tied to the station’s flagpole. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 May 2026

In it, Tom describes how the property manager at his former apartment would not renew his lease because Jake is a pit bull. —Billy Sexton, CBS News, 20 May 2026

The dog, a small female tan and white pit bull mix between 1 and 3 years old, had no identification or a microchip. —Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1936, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for American pit bull terrier

• farrier
• ferrier
• harrier
• merrier
• perrier

Kids Definition

American pit bull terrier

noun

: any of a breed of medium-sized dogs with a stocky build, powerful jaws, and great strength