retriever

American  

[ri-tree-ver] / rɪˈtri vər /

noun

1. a person or thing that retrieves.

2. one of any of several breeds of dogs having a coarse, thick, oily coat, trained to retrieve game.

3. any dog trained to retrieve game.

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retriever British  

/ rɪˈtriːvə /

noun

1. one of a breed of large gun dogs that can be trained to retrieve game See golden retriever Labrador retriever Chesapeake Bay retriever curly-coated retriever flat-coated retriever

2. any dog used to retrieve shot game

3. a person or thing that retrieves

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Etymology

Origin of retriever

First recorded in 1480–90; retrieve + -er ¹

Compare meaning

How does retriever compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Labrador vs. retriever

Explanation

If your dog brings back anything you throw for her, she's a retriever. Many retrievers are bred to work alongside hunters, fetching game birds. Even if your pup looks more like a mop than a Labrador retriever, you can still describe him as a retriever if he's intent on recovering every tennis ball you hurl across your yard. A retriever is a person or animal that retrieves things, or brings them back. So, strictly speaking, you're a retriever too, if you grab the runaway balls during your friends' tennis match! Retriever derives from the French verb trouver, "to find."

Example Sentences

Miller says she became a believer when her own aging golden retriever, Murphy, had arthritis and his medication stopped working.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

And, of course, a cute-as-a-button golden retriever who can shoot hoops as well as he can act is always going to hit the mark, he said.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

Imagine a baby Brachiosaurus no bigger than a golden retriever searching for plants alongside its siblings while trying to avoid predators eager for an easy meal.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

“My golden retriever was so depressed at that time,” Lopez said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

Today the only sounds were the cawing of an occasional magpie and the dry leaves crackling underfoot as Jonathan and his golden retriever, Moose, walked along the trail.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

Related Words

• beagle