-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Portuguese water dog
noun
: any of a breed of medium-sized robust dogs that have a large broad head and curly or wavy coat and are strong swimmers
Examples of Portuguese water dog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The black and white Portuguese water dog, who joined the first family in the White House in April 2009, was the last presidential pet before President Joe Biden's dogs, Major and Champ, joined the White House earlier this year.
—Mark Osborne, ABC News, 8 May 2021
Bo, a Portuguese water dog given to the Obama children, Sasha and Malia, by Sen. Ted Kennedy and his wife Victoria in 2009, was roughly 12 years old.
—NBC News, 8 May 2021
All three variants produce a coat like that of the Portuguese water dog adopted by the First Family.
—Rebecca Coffey, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2010
The Obamas also have another Portuguese water dog, Sunny.
—Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN, 8 May 2021
The Obama family eventually settled on a purebred black-and-white Portuguese water dog named Bo.
—Nick Thomas, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2023
This Portuguese water dog is worried about ocean acidification.
—Jake Goldwasser, The New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2022
The Obama's Bo, a male Portuguese water dog, joined the family at the White House in April 2009.
—Leanne Italie, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2022
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.
Word History
First Known Use
1939, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of Portuguese water dog was
in 1939
Dictionary Entries Near Portuguese water dog
Cite this Entry
“Portuguese water dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Portuguese%20water%20dog. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share