terrier

¹ American  

[ter-ee-er] / ˈtɛr i ər /

noun

1. any of several breeds of usually small dogs, used originally to pursue game and drive it out of its hole or burrow.

2. (initial capital letter) a surface-to-air, two-stage antiaircraft missile.

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terrier ² American  

[ter-ee-er] / ˈtɛr i ər /

noun

Law.

1. a book or document in which are described the site, boundaries, acreage, tenants, etc., of certain lands.

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Terrier ¹ British  

/ ˈtɛrɪə /

noun

1. informal a member of the British Army's Territorial and Volunteer Reserve

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terrier ² British  

/ ˈtɛrɪə /

noun

1. any of several usually small, active, and short-bodied breeds of dog, originally trained to hunt animals living underground

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terrier ³ British  

/ ˈtɛrɪə /

noun

1. English legal history a register or survey of land

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Etymology

Origin of terrier¹

1400–50; < Middle French, short for chien terrier literally, dog of the earth (< Medieval Latin terrārius; terra, -ier ² ); so called because used to start badgers from their burrows; replacing late Middle English terrere < Anglo-French ( -er ² )

Origin of terrier²

1470–80; < Middle French, short for registre terrier register of land (< Medieval Latin terrārius; terra, -ier ² ); replacing earlier terrere < Anglo-French ( -er ²

Example Sentences

As well as the dogs being judged in their various categories - such as working, pastoral and terrier - competitions will be held to entertain the audience.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Min, a champion rat terrier, ate green beans leading up to the recent American Pulling Alliance Championship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

And with that, the pair take me up to the second level of their shop, followed by their border terrier, Jasper, and there she is, the girl of the hour.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025

The ban means there are now five banned types of dog in Britain - pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doga Argentino and Fila Brasileiro, as well as XL bully.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2025

Adam said almost gaily, “Charles, I been listening. You want to tell me something and you’re walking around it like a terrier around a bush. You better tell before it bites you.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck