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bull terrier

American  
[bool-ter-ee-er] / ˈbʊlˈtɛr i ər /
Or bullterrier

noun

  1. one of an English breed of medium-sized, short-haired dogs having a white, brindled, or tan and white coat, produced by crossing the bulldog and the terrier.


bull terrier British  

noun

  1. a breed of terrier having a muscular body and thick neck, with a short smooth often white coat: developed by crossing the bulldog with various terriers See also pit bull terrier Staffordshire bull terrier

"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 bull terrier

First recorded in 1840–50; bull(dog) + terrier 1

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.

See Examples For:

Then there was the time her pit bull terrier, Thor, barked at a cat outside, jolting the feline skyward.

From The Wall Street Journal May 5, 2026

The ban means there are now five banned types of dog in Britain - pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doga Argentino and Fila Brasileiro, as well as XL bully.

From BBC Mar. 31, 2025

In May, her 3-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier was dying after a complication during a C-section.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 17, 2024

One dog, described as a bull terrier mix, was captured in early December, and the second, whose breed was not immediately known, was caught Dec. 31, KTRK-TV reported.

From Seattle Times Jan. 5, 2024

But the young dog was the leader: however longingly the bull terrier looked towards a distant curl of smoke from a chimney he must turn away.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford

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