dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt  -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

Illustration of dachshund

Examples of dachshund in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With the crisp transatlantic accent of a minor noble and the piercing blue eyes of a long-haired dachshund, Dan Stevens could have coasted through his acting career as so many London boys have before, playing foppish love interests or sneaky villains unmasked in the third act. —Hannah Strong, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2024

The comedian, who is married to Motley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, shared a video of the frightening encounter to Instagram on Tuesday, showing off her bold response to a coyote snatching the couple’s dachshund out of their backyard in the San Fernando Valley. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 25 Sep. 2024

Our Guide to Austin 06 of 07 Muenster North of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the small city of Muenster channels its German roots with its own version of Oktoberfest that includes a dachshund dash, a stein holding contest, German music, as well as a 5K, 10K, and half marathon. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2024

Furlan, wife of Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, posted Ring camera video that shows a coyote running into her yard at around 1 p.m., attacking her two dogs and grabbing her dachshund, Neena, from beside the pool. —Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German, from Dachs badger + Hund dog

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt  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.