dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt How to pronounce dachshund (audio) -ˌhu̇nd How to pronounce dachshund (audio)
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

Illustration of dachshund

Examples of dachshund in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There are four kinds of dogs—a dachshund, a poodle, a Border collie, and a German shepherd, whose head seems to be molting on one side. Han Ong, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025 Tiffany Rowan's 18-year-old dachshund, appropriately named Oscar, is a bit of a momma's boy. David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 The cheerful giraffe is one of several animal planters to choose from, with other options including an adorable dachshund, spiky hedgehog and sly fox. Catherine Garcia, theweek, 3 Dec. 2024 Clement shares his rectory with his opinionated and fearless widowed mother and two dachshund dogs. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dachshund 

Word History

Etymology

German, from Dachs badger + Hund dog

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dachshund was in 1878

Dictionary Entries Near dachshund

Cite this Entry

“Dachshund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dachshund. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

dachshund

noun
: 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.

More from Merriam-Webster on dachshund

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!