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• terrier
  terrier

  noun

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

  noun

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

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; see terra, -ier ²); so called because used to start badgers from their burrows; replacing late Middle English terrere < Anglo-French ( see -er ²)

Origin of terrier²

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

Explanation

A terrier is a type of dog. Terriers are usually brave, strong, small dogs with wiry coats. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's dog Toto is a terrier. Most terriers have short, muscular bodies. There is a lot of variety in the terrier group, though—from fuzzy, 70-pound Airedale terriers to smooth-coated, 25-pound Boston terriers. Terriers were originally bred to hunt small animals like rats and foxes. Terrier comes from the Old French chien terrier, or "earth dog," a reference to the terrier's willingness to follow its prey into underground burrows if necessary.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

terrier Terrier

Canyon View Ranch even has what Neece describes as its own “Mickey Mouse”: Max the Tibetan terrier.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

The terrier, it turned out, was a champion, and the owner wouldn’t sell him unless the couple promised to show him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Her nan grabbed her "blind and diabetic" Yorkshire terrier Molly and pet budgie before leaving the property, said Jade.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Staffordshire bull terrier Duchess was abandoned, and only survived because of the goodwill of a neighbour, who fed her through a letterbox.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

About Henry’s birthday party, or about the two instances when Francis’s mother—all red hair and alligator pumps and emeralds—turned up on her way to New York, trailing the Yorkshire terrier and the second husband?

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Terrier put his side in front on the half-hour mark, latching onto a rebounded Schick attempt before curling a shot into the top-left corner.

From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026

Martin Terrier, Patrik Schick and Jonas Hofmann scored as Bayer Leverkusen moved past St Pauli 3-0 at home on Tuesday to reach the German Cup semi-finals.

From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026

Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen have managed to retain the core of the squad that went unbeaten last season, and have spent £44m on Martin Terrier and Jeanuel Belocian and Aleix Garcia.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2024

“Lulu is my darling little Border Terrier, who died,” he responds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2023

A new ministry had been forming, consisting of Feuillants and men friendly to Lafayette, one of whom, Terrier de Montciel, enjoyed the confidence of the king.

From Lectures on the French Revolution by John Neville Figgis