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.

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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. )

Example Sentences

The lawyer tasked with defending ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earned a nickname early in his career: Pit Bull.

From The Wall Street Journal

Firm associates gave Pollack the “pit bull” nickname for his persistence with cases.

From The Wall Street Journal

“A little alliteration was probably involved as well—‘Pit Bull Pollack,’” said Stephen Braga, who worked with Pollack at the Miller, Cassidy firm.

From The Wall Street Journal

His dog, Jesus, a striking black-and-white pit bull, followed him everywhere, tail wagging like a punctuation mark.

From Los Angeles Times

Our dog is an all-white pit bull and her name is Betty White.

From Los Angeles Times