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
During the video, Ollie can be seen running around the sandy beach before spotting another dachshund.
—
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Known for their hotdog-like physique, dachshunds are a German breed that have been adopted into many Oktoberfest celebrations.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 11 Sep. 2025
The 14-year-old dachshund captured hearts and minds around the globe after he’d been reported stolen in June from Angel Santiago, his Logan Square owner.
—Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
The decades-old race sends dachshunds dashing — sometimes straight for the finish line, other times in every direction but.
—Meredith Nierman, NPR, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dachshund
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Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Known for their hotdog-like physique, dachshunds are a German breed that have been adopted into many Oktoberfest celebrations.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 11 Sep. 2025
The 14-year-old dachshund captured hearts and minds around the globe after he’d been reported stolen in June from Angel Santiago, his Logan Square owner.
—Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
The decades-old race sends dachshunds dashing — sometimes straight for the finish line, other times in every direction but.
—Meredith Nierman, NPR, 19 Aug. 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 21 Sep. 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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