Labrador retriever

American  

noun

1. one of a breed of retrievers having a short, thick, oily, solid black or yellow coat, raised originally in Newfoundland.

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Labrador retriever British  

noun

1. Often shortened to: Labrador.   lab.  a powerfully-built variety of retriever with a short dense usually black or golden-brown coat

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Etymology

Origin of Labrador retriever

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Labrador retriever

Wearing her blue harness, this restless brown Labrador retriever ventures into the debris of buildings that collapsed in the earthquakes of June 24.

From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026

A 12-year-old Labrador retriever named Sugar was sprawled on a hardwood floor of a Brooklyn apartment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

Jack, a 4-year-old Labrador retriever with the biggest, friendliest eyes, was gone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2025

When Emily, a 12-year-old black Labrador retriever in Texas, began showing signs of old age— intermittent limping and inability to jump on the bed—her owner, Maxine Clegg, started getting nervous about her best friend.

From Slate ● Apr. 23, 2025

This was a large red-gold Labrador retriever, a young dog with all the heritage of his sturdy working forebears in his powerful build, broad noble head and deep, blunt, gentle mouth.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford