basset hound

noun

bas·​set hound ˈba-sət- 

: any of an old breed of short-legged hunting dogs of French origin having very long ears and a short smooth coat

called also basset

Illustration of basset hound

Examples of basset hound in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Who is Simon, New York's new dog mayor? Simon, who lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side, is a 7-year-old basset hound/cattle dog mix. —Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025

These breeds include the Labrador retriever, which has an insatiable appetite and spends its day begging for extra snacks, the beagle, the dachshund, the basset hound, and the golden retriever, among others. —Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025

These breeds include the bloodhound, basset hound, beagle, and Wixen's own breed, the Belgian Malinois. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025

These include basset hounds, bloodhounds, and Labrador retrievers, which are known for their tracking and detection talents. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French basset, from Middle French, from basset short, from bas low — more at base entry 3

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

basset hound

noun

bas·​set hound ˈbas-ət- 

: any of an old French breed of short-legged long-eared hunting dogs

called also basset