German shepherd

American

[jur-muhn shep-erd] / ˈdʒɜr mən ˈʃɛp ərd /

noun

one of a breed of large shepherd dogs having a coat ranging in color from gray to brindled, black-and-tan, or black, used especially in police work and as a guide for the blind.

German shepherd British

noun

another name for Alsatian

"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

Etymology

Origin of German shepherd

1930–35; shepherd probably as translation of German Schäferhund

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Prince, a Siberian, joined the household in 2024 after "negotiations" with Starmer's children -- who had wanted a German Shepherd dog.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

A couple have told of their "heartache" after their beloved German Shepherd went missing while in the care of a couple who were later found to be illegal dog boarders.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2025

His girlfriend, Wendy, watched with their dog, Papi, a mixed-breed German Shepherd.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2025

She had to be freed from beneath the vehicle by firefighters and is in a stable condition in hospital, with German Shepherd Frisby suffering minor injuries.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2025

You write about how you and your German Shepherd, Venus, were close companions and that you tend to prefer the company of animals to humans.

From Salon • Sep. 28, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023