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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.

His tight control was a skill also shaped against the first 'defender' he ever faced - a Rottweiler.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

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

Ms. James’s Rottweiler, Onyx, was the maid of honor at their wedding.

From New York Times • Jan. 25, 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

It’s the Rottweiler that belongs to a family across the street.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

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