retriever

[ri-tree-ver]

noun

1. a person or thing that retrieves.

2. one of any of several breeds of dogs having a coarse, thick, oily coat, trained to retrieve game.

3. any dog trained to retrieve game.

retriever

/ rɪˈtriːvə /

noun

1. one of a breed of large gun dogs that can be trained to retrieve game See golden retriever Labrador retriever Chesapeake Bay retriever curly-coated retriever flat-coated retriever

2. any dog used to retrieve shot game

3. a person or thing that retrieves

Word History and Origins

Origin of retriever¹

First recorded in 1480–90; retrieve + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Preparing for the role in his hotel room, he once found himself mimicking the facial movements of his golden retriever, Layla.

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Daisy, or Daisy Mae, as Koerner sometimes calls her, is well beyond average life expectancy for a golden retriever, and he wanted her to live out her life on the property that was their sanctuary.

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Not done waxing poetic about the eyes on the veritable Redford of retrievers, Leonberg also pointed out another benefit of his dog’s particular coloration.

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Indy is the most empathetic scream queen of the year so far — and I mean that literally as his breed, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever, is known for its high-pitched wail.

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More recently, on June 14, 2025, Melissa Hortman, speaker emerita of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was shot and killed at her home, along with her husband and their golden retriever.

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Related Words

• beagle