Dalmatian

[ dal-mey-shuhn ]

/ dælˈmeɪ ʃən /

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adjective

of or relating to Dalmatia or its people.

noun

an inhabitant of Dalmatia, especially a member of the native Slavic-speaking people of Dalmatia.

Also called coach dog, Dalmatian dog . one of a breed of short-haired dogs having a white coat marked with black or brown spots.

a Romance language ofDalmatia, extinct since 1898.

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Origin of Dalmatian

First recorded in 1575–85; Dalmati(a) + -an

Words nearby Dalmatian

Dallis grass, Dall's sheep, dally, Dalmane, Dalmatia, Dalmatian, dalmatic, Dalriada, Dalrymple, Dalrymple's sign, dal segno

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Dalmatian in a sentence

Fatch, a Dalmatian, bit it in a random spot — leaving a mark — and returned it to me.
Can You Hop Across The Chessboard?|Zach Wissner-Gross|July 23, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Sometimes it is best to accept things at face value, and an English woman’s stubborn desire to skin Dalmatian puppies for fur coats presents a shining example.
‘Cruella’ is about a puppy killer. Has the origin-story trend gone far enough?|Sonia Rao|May 28, 2021|Washington Post
Now comes Cruella, starring Emma Stone as a young fashion designer who eventually develops an unhealthy obsession with Dalmatian furs.
The Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2021|Peter Allen Clark|May 12, 2021|Time
She seems all the more threatening when compared to the 1950s femininity of unassuming and newly married housewife Anita Dearly, who welcomes a large litter of Dalmatian puppies into her home.
Her crazy driving is a key element of Cruella de Vil’s evil. Here’s why.|Genevieve Carpio|April 2, 2021|Washington Post

But in the painting, because this is a Thomas Kinkade piece, Spotty looks like a sweet little Dalmatian.
The Drunken Downfall of Evangelical America's Favorite Painter|Zac Bissonnette|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Budweiser: Dalmatian Trains Clydesdale Year: 2008 Ad Meter Score: 8.73 Kellogg Grade: A Share Price Change: -0.99 percent 14.
20 Most Effective Super Bowl Ads (VIDEO)|Lauren Streib|January 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He remembered many pleasant functions that he had attended in years past at the Dalmatian Embassy in London.
High Noon|Anonymous
She was a secret agent—there was no doubt—working probably in the service of the Dalmatian government.
High Noon|Anonymous
At the present moment a well-known lady fancier is striving to obtain a Dalmatian mouse.
The Harmsworth Magazine, Vol. 1, 1898-1899, No. 6|Various
He was a Dalmatian, whose family had given a Pope and many illustrious prelates to the Church.
The Jesuits, 1534-1921|Thomas J. Campbell
My learning impressed them less than my skill in curing a pig according to a Dalmatian recipe.
The Belovd Vagabond|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for Dalmatian

Dalmatian

/ (dælˈmeɪʃən) /

noun

Also called (esp formerly): carriage dog, coach dog a large breed of dog having a short smooth white coat with black or (in liver-spotted dalmatians) brown spots

a native or inhabitant of Dalmatia

adjective

of or relating to Dalmatia or its inhabitants

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