corgi

American  

[kawr-gee] / ˈkɔr gi /

noun

corgis plural

1. Welsh corgi.

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corgi British  

/ ˈkɔːɡɪ /

noun

1. Also called: Welsh corgi.  either of two long-bodied short-legged sturdy breeds of dog, the Cardigan and the Pembroke

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• corgis
  plural

Etymology

Origin of corgi

1925–30; < Welsh, equivalent to cor dwarf + -gi, combining form of ci dog, cognate with Old Irish cú; see hound ¹

Explanation

A corgi is a small dog with short legs, a fox-like head, and a big-dog attitude. Corgis were originally bred in Wales to guard and herd cattle. There are two corgi breeds, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Both are very low to the ground, with stubby legs, a long body, and upright ears. You can tell the difference between the two mainly by their tails: Cardigans have long tails, but Pembrokes' tails are naturally short or bobbed. These dogs started out as fierce livestock protectors, eventually becoming popular pets around the world. The word corgi comes from the Welsh roots cor, "dwarf," and ci, "dog."

Example Sentences

The pets—Mango, a corgi, and a cat named Fluffy—belonged to her before she and her ex moved in together, and she took them after they broke up, according to court filings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

These include motifs of a horse and corgi, references to art and theatre to mark "her enduring support for culture", as well as some of her favourite flowers - roses and lily of the valley.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

Named after a Welsh corgi that roamed Amazon’s first warehouse in 1996, Rufus is already making a significant impact.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Jane Nguyen, a Mejia campaign spokesperson, pushed back on the idea that the controller failed to comply with city law, while also suggesting that Hall is “jealous of our cute corgi graphics.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

“My mom had a corgi, so maybe one of those?”

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks