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
The dog, a Chiweenie—a hybrid of a dachshund and a Chihuahua—appears calm but alert as the voice continues.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
But dachshunds are increasingly hot dogs.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Babygirl, a young dachshund and chihuahua mix with long, golden hair, became homeless during the pandemic.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, all eight dogs — which included a labradoodle, mini dachshund, mountain dog, Aussie mix, sheepdog, lab mix and two huskies — were all found safe.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dachshund
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
But dachshunds are increasingly hot dogs.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Babygirl, a young dachshund and chihuahua mix with long, golden hair, became homeless during the pandemic.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, all eight dogs — which included a labradoodle, mini dachshund, mountain dog, Aussie mix, sheepdog, lab mix and two huskies — were all found safe.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dachshund
Cite this Entry
“Dachshund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dachshund. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
