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

Five dogs, including a brindle Chihuahua mix found dead in a shower stall, were infected with parvovirus when deputies found them. —Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Dec. 2024

And, yes, Moore’s famous Chihuahua Pilaf also made an appearance. —John Russell, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024

While some TikTok commenters were concerned Harold's owner was gaming too much and not spending time with the dog, Harold's TikTok page is filled with the tiny rescue Chihuahua on adventures. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

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

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