Shih Tzu

[shee dzoo]

noun

one of a Tibetan breed of toy dogs having a long luxurious coat of any color, formerly bred in imperial China as a pet of the nobility.

Origin of Shih Tzu

1945–50; < Chinese (Wade-Giles) shih1tzŭ (kou3), (pinyin) shīzi (gǒu) literally, lion (dog)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

British Dictionary definitions for shih-tzu

shih-tzu

noun

a small dog of a breed derived from crossing the Pekingese and the Tibetan apso. It has a long straight dense coat and carries its tail curled over its back

Word Origin for shih-tzu

from Chinese, literally: lion

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

Word Origin and History for shih-tzu

also shih tzu, breed of small long-haired dog, 1921, from Chinese shizigou, from shi "lion" + zi "son" + gou "dog."