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Pekingese

[pee-kuh-neez, -nees; especially for 2–5 also pee-king-eez, -ees]
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noun, plural Pe·king·ese for 1, 4.
  1. one of a Chinese breed of small dogs having a long, silky coat.
  2. the standard Chinese language.
  3. the dialect of Peking.
  4. a native or inhabitant of Peking.
adjective
  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Peking.
Also Pe·kin·ese [pee-kuh-neez, -nees] /ˌpi kəˈniz, -ˈnis/.

Origin of Pekingese

First recorded in 1840–50; Peking + -ese
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for pekingese

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • It is called The Pekingese, and is the revised edition for 1914.

  • I asked him to be more explicit, and he amplified his epigram into: "Pekingese."

  • Otherwise we shall get into a worse tangle than the Pekingese.

    The Shrieking Pit

    Arthur J. Rees

  • The driver was a solidly-built little man with the face of a Pekingese.

    Out Like a Light

    Gordon Randall Garrett

  • He gave a tug to the leads at which two Pekingese spaniels were straining.

    A Bed of Roses

    W. L. George

British Dictionary definitions for pekingese

Pekingese

Pekinese (ˌpiːkəˈniːz)

noun
  1. plural -ese a small breed of pet dog with a profuse straight coat, curled plumed tail, and short wrinkled muzzle
  2. the dialect of Mandarin Chinese spoken in Beijing (formerly Peking), the pronunciation of which serves as a standard for the language
  3. plural -ese a native or inhabitant of Beijing (formerly Peking)
adjective
  1. of or relating to Beijing (formerly Peking) or its inhabitants
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pekingese

Pekingese

1907, "small long-haired dog of the pug type," so called because originally brought from the Imperial Palace at Peking, China. Also Pekinese.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper