Alsatian

American  

[al-sey-shuhn] / ælˈseɪ ʃən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Alsace or its inhabitants.

2. of or relating to Alsatia.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Alsace.

2. a resident or native of Alsatia.

3. Also called Alsatian dog.  Chiefly British. German shepherd.

Alsatian British  

/ ælˈseɪʃən /

noun

1. Officially called: German shepherd.   German shepherd dog.  a large wolflike breed of dog often used as a guard or guide dog and by the police

2. a native or inhabitant of Alsace

3. (in the 17th century) a criminal or debtor who took refuge in the Whitefriars area of London

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adjective

1. of or relating to Alsace or its inhabitants

Other Word Forms

• anti-Alsatian adjective
• pro-Alsatian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Alsatian

First recorded in 1685–95; from Medieval Latin Alsati(a) Alsace + -an

Example Sentences

The story tells of an ill-favored child, Marie Grosholtz, who’s born in an Alsatian village in 1761 and orphaned a few years later.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Huntley told me how he had been washing his Alsatian dog, Sadie, when the youngsters strolled by.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

Enzo Maresca left his role in charge of the Blues on Thursday with Englishman Rosenior, who guided the Alsatian club to a seventh-placed finished last season, tipped to take over at Stamford Bridge.

From Barron's • Jan. 3, 2026

Watching the rain out the window, we took our time over lunch: crispy chicken with sweet potato puree and a trout tartare in an emulsion of Bibeleskaes, the Alsatian fromage blanc.

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2021

A needlepoint of Frau Elena’s snowy Alsatian village above the sink.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr