Illustration of terrier
: 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
Examples of terrier in a Sentence
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Jeri Lynne’s Army veteran dad, Dan, worked in the aircraft industry and her mom, Mary, raised Russell blue terriers.
—
Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
The woman was attacked Thursday morning on the Northwest Side by a Staffordshire terrier mix that belonged to a family member.
—Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 8 May 2026
The Mayor is a terrier on skates, a holy terror.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Cavalier spaniels, terriers, and basenjis are ideal breeds for small apartments.
—The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
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Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
The woman was attacked Thursday morning on the Northwest Side by a Staffordshire terrier mix that belonged to a family member.
—Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 8 May 2026
The Mayor is a terrier on skates, a holy terror.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Cavalier spaniels, terriers, and basenjis are ideal breeds for small apartments.
—The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrier
Cite this Entry
“Terrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrier. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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."
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