musher

[muhsh-er]

noun

Alaska and Northern Canada.

1. a person who competes in cross-country races with dog team and sled.

Word History and Origins

Origin of musher¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; mush ² + -er ¹

Example Sentences

All three mushers withdrew from the competition, pursuant to race rules.

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The Iditarod started March 2 for 38 mushers with a ceremonial run in Anchorage, followed by the competitive start on March 3 in Willow, about 75 miles north of Anchorage.

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Race rules require any big game animal killed in defense of life or property to be gutted before the musher moves on.

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A second dog, George, a 4-year-old male on musher Hunter Keefe’s team, also collapsed and died despite attempts to revive him, a race statement said.

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A statement from the Iditarod said it had “been determined that the animal was not sufficiently gutted by the musher.”

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When To Use

What does musher mean?

A musher is a person who steers a dogsled led by sled dogs.The term is especially used to refer to a person who does this to compete in a sled dog race, such as a cross-country race like the Iditarod.The word musher is most commonly used in Alaska and Canada, where sled dog racing is more common.Example: The prize goes to the musher, but it is the sled dogs that are the true champions.