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Glite Dictionary
Border terrier

Border terrier

1 4.1
A small, tough British dog with rough fur used to hunt foxes and small animals
  • noun
  • /ˈbɔrdər ˈtɛriər/
translation icon : Border terrier
  • My friend owns a Border terrier that loves to play in the garden.

Examples

  • Andy Murray's dogs, two border terriers named Maggie May and Rusty, are minor celebrities thanks to their famous owner and their very own Twitter account, @maggiemayhem.

    Blog text (1)

  • The Border terrier is known for its energetic nature and friendly disposition.

  • During the competition, the Border terrier showcased its agility and obedience.

Synonyms

terrier
vsBorder terrier
48 2.3

A small dog bred to hunt animals that live underground

is a hardy British breed with rough coat for fox and vermin hunting

Surface Forms

Border terrier singular
Border terriers plural

Morphology

border + terrier

The noun is compositionally transparent: 'border' (boundary/region) combined with 'terrier' (a small hunting dog) naturally yields 'a terrier associated with a border/region' or a terrier breed from a particular area. This geographic + breed naming pattern is common cross-linguistically and so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a specific small dog breed.

Etymology

Border terrier may come from the border area between England and Scotland where farmers bred a small, tough dog to catch foxes and other pests. Because the dog worked on the border and is a small hunting dog called a terrier, the name explains why the breed is small, hardy, and good at hunting.