canine

American  

[key-nahyn] / ˈkeɪ naɪn /

adjective

1. of or like a dog; relating to or characteristic of dogs.

   canine loyalty.

2. Anatomy, Zoology. of or relating to the four pointed teeth, especially prominent in dogs, situated one on each side of each jaw, next to the incisors.

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noun

canines plural

1. a canid, or member of the dog family Canidae.

2. a dog.

3. a canine tooth; cuspid.

canine British  

/ ˈkeɪnaɪn, ˈkæn- /

adjective

1. of or resembling a dog; doglike

2. of, relating to, or belonging to the Canidae, a family of mammals, including dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes, typically having a bushy tail, erect ears, and a long muzzle: order Carnivora (carnivores)

3. of or relating to any of the four teeth, two in each jaw, situated between the incisors and the premolars

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noun

1. any animal of the family Canidae

2. a canine tooth

canine Scientific  

/ kā′nīn /

1. Characteristic of or resembling dogs, wolves, or related animals.

2. Relating to any of the four pointed teeth located behind the incisors in most mammals. In carnivores, the canine teeth are adapted for cutting and tearing meat.

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1. A canine tooth.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• caninity
  noun
• supercanine
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• canines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of canine

1350–1400; Middle English canine canine tooth (< Middle French ) < Latin canīnus, equivalent to can ( is ) dog + -īnus -ine ¹

Explanation

Canine is how zoologists refer to all mammals with snouts and non-retractable claws. Sound familiar? That's right, Fido is a canine. (All dogs are.) Coyotes and wolves are canines, too. The sharp pointy teeth in your mouth are also called canines. Like wolves, we use these sharp incisors to tear meat from the bone, though these days we tend to get some help in that department from knives and forks. Fun fact: The police call their drug-sniffing dogs the K-9 unit. Get it?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canine canines

When a dog alerts to something, rescuers send a second animal to confirm the finding, said Sylvia Arango, a canine handler since 1998 who manages Sisu.

From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026

County dispatched a 73-person contingent to Venezuela, including search-and-rescue teams, canine units, doctors and structural experts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

One study documented seven canine cases in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho since 2023, including five in Washington.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

Essentially a series of chases, the cartoon opens with the dog Bimbo hot on the tail of a chicken and continues with the same pooch being followed by a canine cop.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

The green eyes glowering at me are unlike any dog or wolf, any canine I've ever seen.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Asked about the fate of the thousands of unaccounted-for canines, he acknowledged they had likely "already been eaten."

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

Research into augmentative and alternative communication systems has demonstrated that some dogs can learn to use soundboards that “speak” for the canines and combine concepts in unexpectedly sophisticated ways.

From Slate ● Jun. 20, 2026

Activists in white hazmat suits carry floppy-eared canines away as he waves papers at a police officer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

But for those who may be allergic to dogs or live with cynophobia - the extreme fear of dogs or canines - they say the rise of dog-friendly spaces is a growing concern.

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026

Bertha squawked and hissed, and the two breathless groups of canines stood nose to nose, staring and growling.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• mutt
• pooch
• pup