terrier

noun

ter·​ri·​er ˈter-ē-ər 

ˈte-rē-

: any of various usually small energetic dogs originally used by hunters to dig for small game and engage the quarry underground or drive it out

Illustration of terrier

Examples of terrier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the film, O’Hara’s Cookie and her hapless husband, Gerry (played by Eugene Levy), own a Norwich terrier named Winky who is competing for best in show. —Michaela Zee, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026

This facet of her personality made the Flecks’ eventual victory—their terrier’s clinching of the best-in-show title—all the more satisfying, and shocking. —Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026

God loves a terrier, and the Westminster Dog Show loves Catherine O’Hara. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026

Their collaboration continued for Christopher Guest mockumentaries like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show (as a terrier-owning married couple), and A Mighty Wind, where O’Hara and Levy portrayed folk duo Mickey & Mitch. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English terryer, terrer, from Anglo-French (chen) terrer, literally, earth dog, from terre earth, from Latin terra

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing terrier

• Airedale terrier
• American pit bull terrier
• American Staffordshire terrier
• Australian terrier
• Bedlington terrier
• Border terrier
• Boston terrier
• bull terrier
• cairn terrier
• Dandie Dinmont terrier
• fox terrier
• Irish terrier
• Jack Russell terrier
• Kerry blue terrier
• Lakeland terrier
• Manchester terrier
• Norfolk terrier
• Norwich terrier
• pit bull terrier
• Scotch terrier
• Scottish terrier
• Sealyham terrier
• silky terrier
• Skye terrier
• smooth fox terrier
• soft-coated wheaten terrier
• Staffordshire bull terrier
• Tibetan terrier
• toy fox terrier
• toy Manchester terrier
• Welsh terrier
• West Highland white terrier
• wire fox terrier
• wirehaired terrier
• Yorkshire terrier

Rhymes for terrier

• farrier
• ferrier
• harrier
• merrier
• perrier

Kids Definition

terrier

noun

ter·​ri·​er ˈter-ē-ər 

: any of various usually small energetic dogs originally used by hunters to drive game animals from their holes

Etymology

Middle English terryer "a small dog used for hunting burrowing animals," from early French (chen) terrer, literally "earth dog," from terre "earth," derived from Latin terra (same meaning)

Word Origin

Today most terriers are kept as pets. However, there was a time when the dogs were widely used for hunting. Terriers are usually small dogs with short legs, and they were used to dig game animals such as foxes, badgers, and weasels out of their holes. The dogs were also trained to go into a hole after a game animal and drive it out. The French name for these dogs was chen terrer, meaning "earth dog." English borrowed only the word terrier, which can be traced back to Latin terra, meaning "earth."