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
Recent Examples on the Web
At least one breed of terrier – a broad category – has won 42% of the Best in Show honors.
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Karina Zaiets, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024
There are seven groups — sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting and herding — and each group's judge places then first through fourth.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for terrier 
Karina Zaiets, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024
There are seven groups — sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting and herding — and each group's judge places then first through fourth.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for terrier
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'terrier.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Terrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrier. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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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