Illustration of dachshund
dachshund
noun
dachs·hund
ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt 
-ˌhu̇nd
-ˌhu̇nd
ˈdäk-sənt;
especially British ˈdak-sənd
: any of a breed of long-bodied, short-legged dogs of German origin that occur in short-haired, long-haired, and wirehaired varieties
Examples of dachshund in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Burke regularly shares videos of her two cream miniature dachshunds, Bjorn and Lucia on social media.
—
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Efforts are now underway to rescue the dachshund, but that has proved difficult.
—Victor Mather, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
According to The Guardian, about a year after the dachshund went missing, her pet parents heard via social media that Valerie had been spotted on the island.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Many TikTok users, familiar with dachshund quirks, responded with amusement in the comments.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dachshund
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Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Efforts are now underway to rescue the dachshund, but that has proved difficult.
—Victor Mather, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
According to The Guardian, about a year after the dachshund went missing, her pet parents heard via social media that Valerie had been spotted on the island.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Many TikTok users, familiar with dachshund quirks, responded with amusement in the comments.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dachshund
Cite this Entry
“Dachshund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dachshund. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dachshund
noun
dachs·hund
ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt
ˈdäk-sənt
ˈdäk-sənt
: any of a breed of dogs of German origin with a long body, very short legs, and long drooping ears
Etymology
from German Dachshund "dachshund," literally, "badger dog," from Dachs "badger" and Hund dog
Word Origin
The dachshund is a dog with short legs and a long history. The breed was developed in Germany more than a thousand years ago to hunt burrowing animals such as badgers. With its short legs and long, powerful body, the dachshund could follow a badger right down into its hole. It could even fight with the badger underground. The German name for the breed was Dachshund, a compound of Dachs, meaning "badger," and Hund, "dog." This German name was borrowed directly into English.
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