Chihuahua

noun

Chi·​hua·​hua chə-ˈwä-(ˌ)wä 

shə-,

-wə

: any of a breed of very small roundheaded dogs that occur in short-coated and long-coated varieties

Examples of Chihuahua in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Earlier this year, she was photographed near her Pacific Palisades home with her Chihuahua, just a day after the Emmys. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

Multi-Person Rescue Team Saves Tiny, Stubborn Chihuahua Stuck Under Texas Bridge The man was brought to local police and reunited with his loved ones. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024

Teams of firefighters sprang into action in Texas on Friday when staff at the Houston Botanic Garden noticed a tiny Chihuahua was stuck underneath a pedestrian bridge. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 29 Nov. 2024

An 18-year-old woman has been sentenced to nine months in jail for killing a Sussex family's dog in January, an 8-year-old Chihuahua named Batman. —Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from Chihuahua, Mexico

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Chihuahua

noun

Chi·​hua·​hua chə-ˈwä-(ˌ)wä 

shə-,

-wə

: any of a breed of very small large-eared dogs that originated in Mexico

Etymology

named for Chihuahua, a state in Mexico

Geographical Definition

Chihuahua

geographical name

Chi·​hua·​hua chē-ˈwä-(ˌ)wä 

chə-,

-wə

1

state of northern Mexico bordering on the U.S. (Texas and New Mexico) area 95,400 square miles (247,086 square kilometers), population 3,406,465

2

city, and capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua metropolitan area population 819,543