Bernese mountain dog

American

noun

one of a Swiss breed of large, long-haired dogs having a black coat with white and russet-brown or deep-tan markings.

Bernese mountain dog British

noun

a strong sturdy dog of a breed with a bushy tail and a long silky black coat with reddish-brown and white markings, often used as a working farm dog

"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

Etymology

Origin of Bernese mountain dog

First recorded in 1930–35

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.

On Sunday, a group of Bernese mountain dog owners gathered outside to say their goodbyes.

From BBC • Nov. 10, 2025

The family of the 7-month-old Bernese mountain dog rushed her to a Corona veterinary center after she began vomiting.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2025

She’d been fostering dogs for a few months since her own Bernese mountain dog died young, at age 5, from cancer.

From Washington Post • Jun. 22, 2020

At first, the filmmakers chose to model their dog after a Bernese mountain dog.

From New York Times • Feb. 23, 2020

Martin Kihn is writing a book about training his Bernese mountain dog, Hola.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023