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.

---

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.

---

Terrier ¹ British  

/ ˈtɛrɪə /

noun

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

---

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

---

terrier ³ British  

/ ˈtɛrɪə /

noun

1. English legal history a register or survey of land

---

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

Other popular members of this snub-nosed club include English bulldogs, Boston terriers, pugs and Brussels griffons.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chihuahuas, rat terriers and miniature poodles are muscling in on strength contests long dominated by big dogs.

From The Wall Street Journal

I can't say that my own stubborn, disobedient terrier provides me with any of the benefits that the first domesticated wolves bestowed on our ancestors.

From BBC

The placid if slightly stupid day nurse is a cow; the surgeon has the head of a yapping terrier; the junior nurse is a “prancing kitten.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Ana Paun had gone to the shops with her older sister in the Bordesley Green area of the city when a dog - an American XL bully and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed - attacked.

From BBC