greyhound
Americannoun
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greyhounds
plural
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one of a breed of tall, slender, short-haired dogs, noted for its keen sight and swiftness.
-
a swift ship, especially a fast ocean liner.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of greyhound
before 1000; Middle English greihund, grehund, grihund, Old English grīghund < Old Norse greyhundr; compare Old Norse grey bitch; see hound 1
Compare meaning
How does greyhound compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A greyhound is a long-legged, elegant dog that's known for its speed. Historians believe greyhounds are one of the oldest dog breeds. Dogs resembling greyhounds decorate many ancient Egyptian tombs and Neolithic settlement walls, suggesting that this sleek, muscular dog has been around for thousands of years. In the 20th century, greyhounds were commonly bred for racing — they can run steadily at speeds over 40 miles per hour. Retired racing greyhounds also make sweet companions, and as the sport has declined in the U.S., more and more greyhounds have lived their whole lives as coddled pets. Interestingly, the grey part of the word is of disputed origin, but it does not refer to the dogs' color — as most greyhounds are not gray.
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.
See Examples For:
She made headlines last year by getting the previous Welsh Labour government to agree to a greyhound racing ban and £1 bus fares for under-21s in return for helping it pass its budget.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
Its velvet binding has metal corner guards bearing her crowned falcon with a lion rampant, dragon and greyhound, and Anne’s motifs recur in the illuminations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
Kiwis are still able to bet on Australian greyhound racing, which has a larger commercial presence.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie told parliament that the government was confident that greyhound racing "on oval tracks exposes dogs to significant risks that cannot be eliminated by other measures".
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026
The greyhound, light and fleet, gets ahead of Jeanne and reaches the queen first.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
Approximately 1,400 greyhounds will retire in New Zealand under the ban and require rehoming.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
"In an attempt to solve the rehoming crisis, the racing industry had devised a program of sending retired greyhounds to the US and Canada," Field said.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Australian authorities say that greyhounds arriving from New Zealand are classed as "companion animals" which will undergo screening for diseases such as rabies.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
It was first synthesized from thymosin β4 in 2003 and has since been used to help horses and greyhounds improve racing performance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
A moment later, two metal dogs raced toward them—automaton greyhounds, one silver and one gold.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
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