greyhound
Americannoun
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one of a breed of tall, slender, short-haired dogs, noted for its keen sight and swiftness.
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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.
Spirit Airlines was sometimes nicknamed the Greyhound of the sky.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
The U.S. could soon have the “universally detested Temu Greyhound of the Skies.”
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
Gil bought William a Greyhound ticket and got him on the bus home.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
Greyhound racing is to be banned in Wales, after Senedd members voted to outlaw the practice.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
What she had was their clothes, the Greyhound tickets, and $1,600 in cash.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
