schipperke

[skip-er-kee, -kuh]

noun

one of a Belgian breed of small dogs having erect ears and a thick, black coat, originally used as a watchdog on boats in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Origin of schipperke

1885–90; < dialectal Dutch: little boatman, equivalent to schipper skipper¹ + -ke -kin

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Examples from the Web for schipperke

Historical Examples of schipperke

One of these dogs was a Schipperke, the breed kept by the bargemen of Belgium to guard their goods and chattels.
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British Dictionary definitions for schipperke

schipperke

noun

a small Dutch breed of tailless dog with a foxy head, pricked ears, and usually a black coat

Word Origin for schipperke

C19: from Dutch, literally: little boatman (from its use as a guard dog on canal barges). See skipper 1

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