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Doberman pinscher

American  
[doh-ber-muhn pin-sher] / ˈdoʊ bər mən ˈpɪn ʃər /

noun

  1. one of a German breed of medium-sized, short-haired dogs having a black, brown, or blue coat with rusty brown markings.


Doberman pinscher British  
/ ˈdəʊbəmən ˈpɪnʃə /

noun

  1. Also spelt: Dobermann.  a fairly large slender but muscular breed of dog, originally from Germany, with a glossy black-and-tan coat, a short tail, and erect ears

"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 Doberman pinscher

First recorded in 1915–20; named after Karl Friedrich Ludwig Dobermann (1834-94), German dog breeder + German Pinscher “terrier,” perhaps based on Pinzgau, a district in Austria noted for its breeding farms

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:

Earlier this week, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show — one of the most prestigious events in the dog world — crowned its latest Best in Show winner, Penny, a Doberman pinscher.

From Salon Feb. 8, 2026

In court, Anderson paraded her Doberman pinscher in front of a jury, claiming the dog sniffed blood inside the suspect’s home.

From Science Magazine Oct. 13, 2021

A California police chief investigates a baffling death blamed on a Doberman pinscher.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 26, 2020

In the country that gave the world the German shepherd and the Doberman pinscher, short-legged, smashed-nosed pugs, called “Mops” in German, would seem out of place.

From New York Times Oct. 16, 2019

If you blended together a kid, a Doberman pinscher, and a sea lion, you’d get something like what I was looking at.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

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