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beagle

[ bee-guh l ]
/ ˈbi gəl /
|
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noun

one of a breed of small hounds having long ears, short legs, and a usually black, tan, and white coat.

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RELATED WORDS

detective, gumshoe, sleuth, mongrel, canine, mutt, afghan, pointer, basset, poodle, dachshund, pooch, airedale, retriever, eye, inspector, investigator, operative, PI, dick

Nearby words

  1. beadswoman,
  2. beadwork,
  3. beady,
  4. beady eye,
  5. beady-eyed,
  6. beaglehole,
  7. beagling,
  8. beak,
  9. beaked,
  10. beaked pelvis

Origin of beagle

1490–1500; perhaps < Middle French beegueule one who whines insistently, equivalent to bee, 3rd person singular of beer to be open, gape (by-form of bayer (see bay2) + gueule mouth (of an animal); see gullet
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for beagle

British Dictionary definitions for beagle

beagle

/ (ˈbiːɡəl) /

noun

a small sturdy breed of hound, having a smooth dense coat usually of white, tan, and black; often used (esp formerly) for hunting hares
archaic a person who spies on others

verb

(intr) to hunt with beagles, normally on foot

Word Origin for beagle

C15: of uncertain origin
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

Word Origin and History for beagle

beagle

n.

late 15c., of unknown origin, possibly from French becguele "noisy person," literally "gaping throat," from bayer "open wide" (see bay (n.2)) + gueule "mouth" (see gullet).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper