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

Bardadian said his daughter had walked ahead of him to the park when she was attacked by a pit bull. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026

The bomb squad also killed her mother’s pit bull during the operation, Doe testified. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 July 2026

In Missouri, police agreed to pay $750,000 after officers raided a family’s home over an unpaid gas bill and shot and killed Kiya, the family’s four-year-old pit bull. — Vanessa Shakib, Oc Register, 23 July 2026

Kenneth Tolbert regularly walks Cosmo, his pit bull mix, through those trees. — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 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