spaniel
Americannoun
-
one of any of several breeds of small or medium-sized dogs, usually having a long, silky coat and long, drooping ears.
-
a submissive, fawning, or cringing person.
noun
-
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
-
either of two toy breeds of spaniel See King Charles spaniel
-
an obsequiously devoted person
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spaniel
1350–1400; Middle English spaynel < Old French espaignol Spanish (dog), derivative of Espaigne Spain
Explanation
A spaniel is a wavy-haired dog with long, soft ears that was bred to help hunters by startling birds out of their hiding spots. Spaniels were bred as gun dogs, flushing game out of bushes, retrieving birds from the water, and pointing their bodies toward the hunter's prey, but most of these dogs are perfectly happy lounging on the couch. Whether it's a springer spaniel or a little Cavalier King Charles, this type of dog has feathery hair and long ears, and makes a great pal. The name, "Spanish" in Latin, is from an unproven theory that it originated in Spain.
Vocabulary lists containing spaniel
A Boy Called Bat
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Sheep
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Lazare, a Papillon dwarf spaniel with stand-up "butterfly" ears, was born on December 4, 1995, according to animal charity worker Anne-Sophie Moyon.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
A French toy spaniel named Lazare thought to have been "the world's oldest dog" has died aged 30, his carer said on Friday.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Part of the accusation was aimed at a cocker spaniel the Nixons were given by a supporter that his six-year-old daughter Tricia had named Checkers.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
Shelley Perkins, from Henleaze, Bristol, has spent more than £20,000 on cancer treatment for her five-year-old cocker spaniel Roxy in two years.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
It was a little cocker spaniel dog in a crate that he’d sent all the way from Texas, black and white, spotted.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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.
