pit bull

American  

[pit bool] / ˈpɪt ˌbʊl /

Informal, pittie or pitbull

noun

1. a stocky, muscular dog with a broad skull and a smooth coat, belonging to an informal category of purebred and mixed-breed dogs that includes the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier, and sometimes the American bulldog or boxer.

2. Also called American pit bull terrier.  American Staffordshire terrier.

---

Etymology

Origin of pit bull

First recorded in 1925–30; pit ¹ ( def. ) (in the sense “enclosure for staging animal fights”) + bull(dog) ( def. )

Example Sentences

When I lived in downtown Phoenix, my pit bull Ziggy once escaped through the fence and disappeared, causing my wife to burst into tears.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

I love being wherever Maybelle, my gentle, white pit bull, is resting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

The 1991 Act had already banned the ownership of four breeds - the pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, dogo argentino and fila brasileiro.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

But “it’s tough for a pit bull in L.A. in our current shelter crisis,” said Blackwell, a veteran volunteer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2025

Nancy thought, An angry monkey is like a flying pit bull terrier with five prehensile limbs—these critters can do a job on you.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston