dog's letter
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of dog's letter
1585–95; translation of Latin littera canīna, from the resemblance of the sound of the trill to a dog's snarl
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.
He calls it the "dog's" letter because the trilling of an R was thought to sound like the low growl of a dog.
From Slate
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
