Samoyed

American  

[sam-uh-yed, suh-moi-id] / ˌsæm əˈyɛd, səˈmɔɪ ɪd /

noun

1. a member of a Uralic people dwelling in W Siberia and the far NE parts of European Russia.

2. Also a subfamily of Uralic languages spoken by the Samoyed people.

3. (sometimes lowercase) one of a Russian breed of medium-sized dogs that have long, dense, white or cream hair and are used by the Samoyed people for herding reindeer and pulling sleds.

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Samoyed British  

/ ˌsæməˈjɛd /

noun

1. a member of a group of peoples who migrated along the Russian Arctic coast and now live chiefly in the area of the N Urals: related to the Finns

2. the languages of these peoples, related to Finno-Ugric within the Uralic family

3. a Siberian breed of dog of the spitz type, having a dense white or cream coat with a distinct ruff, and a tightly curled tail

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Samoyedic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Samoyed

First recorded in 1580–90, Samoyed is from the Russian word samoyéd

Example Sentences

Striker, a blindingly white Samoyed, will never know that he did not take the top spot in last year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

From New York Times • May 10, 2023

Trumpet beat a French bulldog, a German shepherd, a Maltese, an English setter, a Samoyed and a Lakeland terrier to take the trophy in the 146th Westminster.

From Washington Times • Jun. 22, 2022

Ms Freer was a runner-up in the Best in Show category at Crufts in 2014 with one her dogs, a Samoyed named Dan The Man.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2022

A Pekingese named Wasabi won best in show, beating out a whippet, a French bulldog, an old English sheepdog, a German shorthaired pointer, a Samoyed and a West Highland white terrier.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2021

“No. There was my uncles and all, and some other men,” she said vaguely, not knowing what the Samoyed hunter had told him.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman