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Rottweiler

American  
[rot-wahy-ler] / ˈrɒtˌwaɪ lər /
Informal, Rottie

noun

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


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of Rottweiler

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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

From BBC Jun. 30, 2025

"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

The links jut out like a luxe studded collar that might be worn by a majestic Rottweiler.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 18, 2023

The Henderson family dog, Hollie, mostly Rottweiler, loved to sit on that engine cover and take in the unobstructed view of the road.

From Seattle Times Aug. 25, 2023

On the evening of September 17, 1992, Carine was outside giving her Rottweiler a bath when Chris Fish pulled into the driveway.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

"Some people think we are Rottweilers, and we are trying to stop them getting appointments," she said.

From BBC Jun. 21, 2025

Bridges' Dan Chase is on the run and needs to convince the female owner of his vacation rental that he and his two accompanying Rottweilers are trustworthy.

From Salon Mar. 26, 2023

After Labs, the top 10 are: French bulldogs, golden retrievers, German shepherds, poodles, bulldogs, beagles, Rottweilers, German shorthaired pointers and dachshunds.

From Seattle Times Mar. 15, 2022

Then a teenage ballboy for the Clippers, Rice helped Lorenzen and Sherra move into a custom home in Playa del Rey and cared for their Rottweilers.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 13, 2018

Once the Rottweilers were secured on leashes, Kalo had hustled them into the camper truck and locked the tailgate.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

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