Rottweiler

American  

[rot-wahy-ler] / ˈrɒtˌwaɪ lər /

Informal, Rottie

noun

1. one of a German breed of large, powerful dogs having a short, coarse, black coat with tan to brown markings.

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Rottweiler British  

/ ˈrɒtˌvaɪlə /

noun

1. a breed of large robustly built dog with a smooth coat of black with dark tan markings on the face, chest, and legs. It was previously a docked breed

2. (often not capital) an aggressive, ruthless, and unscrupulous person

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Etymology

Origin of Rottweiler

First recorded in 1905–10; from German, after Rottweil city in southwest Germany + -er ¹

Example Sentences

As well as cats, the family also had four small dogs, plus a St Bernard and a Rottweiler.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2025

Another problem: The week before, a woman had adopted one of Favor’s dogs, a Rottweiler named Marli who was not friendly around other dogs.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 24, 2024

"If someone has a dog that is clearly another established breed, such as a Rottweiler, the XL bully ban does not apply."

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2023

With his tiny head and rumpled feathers, Tuffy appeared like an ungroomed, pointy-headed bichon frisé next to Lola, who seemed more Rottweiler.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2023

And when the ball hit the ground, it took the worst possible bounce right into Ms. Adams's yard, where Brutus the Rottweiler lived, chained to a tree.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds