spaniel

American  

[span-yuhl] / ˈspæn yəl /

noun

1. one of any of several breeds of small or medium-sized dogs, usually having a long, silky coat and long, drooping ears.

2. a submissive, fawning, or cringing person.

---

spaniel British  

/ ˈspænjəl /

noun

1. any of several breeds of gundog with long drooping ears, a silky coat, and formerly a docked tail See clumber spaniel cocker spaniel field spaniel springer spaniel Sussex spaniel water spaniel

2. either of two toy breeds of spaniel See King Charles spaniel

3. an obsequiously devoted person

---

Other Word Forms

• spaniellike adjective

Etymology

Origin of spaniel

1350–1400; Middle English spaynel < Old French espaignol Spanish (dog), derivative of Espaigne Spain

Example Sentences

The champion of Crufts, Bruin, is a breed you may not have heard of before - a Clumber spaniel.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

"It was the Duke and his gamekeeper that then worked with the spaniel to create the breed we know today," he added.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

A Clumber spaniel named Bruin has been crowned best in show at Crufts 2026.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

Alexandra Szilvasi rushed into the River Trent at Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire, on Monday after her spaniel, Snickers, dived in after a ball.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

While Jasper, his spaniel ears a-droop, feigns indifference to the arrival of the cakes.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier