pit bull

American  

[pit bool] / ˈpɪt ˌbʊl /

Informal, pittie or pitbull

noun

• pit bulls
  plural

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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pit bulls
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of pit bull

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pit bull

A pit bull barked, but no one seemed to be home.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

“Drop a golden retriever owner into a pit bull neighborhood, and they’ll face constant stress,” Adamen said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Deputies later learned that the pit bull was owned by a family member who lived with the victim, the department said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

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

He could check it, he supposed, with the new super, a tough-talking veteran with a pit bull.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

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