rat terrier

American  

noun

1. a terrier of any of several breeds developed especially for catching rats, as the Manchester terrier.

---

Etymology

Origin of rat terrier

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Chihuahuas, rat terriers and miniature poodles are muscling in on strength contests long dominated by big dogs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Phoebe Yung of Brooklyn adopted a pandemic pup, a rat terrier named Moose.

From Seattle Times

I just did the ancestry thing, and she’s mainly Australian shepherd, Chihuahua and rat terrier.

From New York Times

A miniature Chihuahua and rat terrier mix, Midge joined the Sheriff’s Office in early 2006 as a pup, from a litter owned by a department employee.

From Washington Times

They had corresponded for weeks on an online forum for rat terrier breeders and enthusiasts called "Ratter Chatter".

From BBC