Samoyed
Americannoun
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a member of a Uralic people dwelling in W Siberia and the far NE parts of European Russia.
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Also a subfamily of Uralic languages spoken by the Samoyed people.
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(sometimes lowercase) one of a Russian breed of medium-sized dogs that have long, dense, white or cream hair and are used by the Samoyed people for herding reindeer and pulling sleds.
noun
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a member of a group of peoples who migrated along the Russian Arctic coast and now live chiefly in the area of the N Urals: related to the Finns
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the languages of these peoples, related to Finno-Ugric within the Uralic family
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a Siberian breed of dog of the spitz type, having a dense white or cream coat with a distinct ruff, and a tightly curled tail
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Samoyed
First recorded in 1580–90, Samoyed is from the Russian word samoyéd
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.
According to Forbes, the couple’s dog is a female Samoyed, a breed the American Kennel Club describes as “smart, social, mischievous dogs who demand love and attention.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026
Samoyed puppies from reputable breeders cost between $4,000 and $7,000.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Striker, a blindingly white Samoyed, will never know that he did not take the top spot in last year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
From New York Times ● May 10, 2023
Trumpet beat a French bulldog, a German shepherd, a Maltese, an English setter, a Samoyed and a Lakeland terrier to take the trophy in the 146th Westminster.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 22, 2022
The figure in the padded coal-silk anorak answered in the same language, and Lyra saw his features: he was not a Samoyed or a Tartar.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
