pug

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
: any of a breed of small sturdy compact dogs of Asian origin with a smooth, short coat, tightly curled tail, short muzzle, and broad wrinkled face
2
a
b
: a close knot or coil of hair : bun

Illustration of pug

Illustration of pug
  • pug 1

pug

2 of 4

verb

pugged; pugging

transitive verb

: to work and mix (a substance, such as clay) when wet especially to make more homogeneous and easier to handle (as in throwing or molding wares)

pug

3 of 4

noun (2)

pug

4 of 4

noun (3)

Examples of pug in a Sentence

Noun (2) a retired pug with battered ears and swollen knuckles
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Vito is also the number one ranked pug in all show systems, and the number two toy dog in all of America. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024 The pug, named Vito, is the No. 1 pug in all show systems and the No. 2 toy dog in the U.S, according to a release. Rob Wile, NBC News, 28 Nov. 2024 Photo: courtesy of Ben Mezrich Ben and Tonya Mezrich’s country house is in rural Vermont, but because it’s ruled by their pugs, Bagel and Cream Cheese, as well as their two school-age children, its defining quality is not so much pastoral tranquility as a kind of happy domestic chaos. Simon Van Zuylen-Wood, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 The time had come to find a permanent home for themselves and their senior pug, Sophie. Carisa Crawford Chappell, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pug 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

obsolete pug hobgoblin, monkey

Verb

origin unknown

Noun (2)

by shortening & alteration from pugilist

Noun (3)

Hindi & Urdu pag foot, step

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1843, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1858, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pug was in 1751

Dictionary Entries Near pug

Cite this Entry

“Pug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pug. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pug

noun
ˈpəg
: any of a breed of small sturdy compact dogs having a short coat, tightly curled tail, and broad wrinkled face

More from Merriam-Webster on pug

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