Skip to main content
French bulldog

French bulldog

2 2.5
A small, muscular dog with a flat face and bat-like ears
  • noun
  • /frɛntʃ ˈbʊlˌdɔg/
translation icon : bulldog francés
  • Every morning, I take my French bulldog for a walk in the park.
  • a French bulldog

And this really cute, adorable French Bulldogs with that perfectly smushed face.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The French bulldog is known for its friendly and affectionate nature.

  • My French bulldog loves to snuggle on the couch with me.

  • What a wonderful French bulldog.

  • And French Bulldogs have flat faces so this is perfect for them.

  • And this really cute, adorable French Bulldogs with that perfectly smushed face.

  • There's a really cute French bulldog trying to zoom in, trying to zoom for you guys.

  • It is tempting to get maybe like a French bulldog or a Boston Terrier.

Synonyms

Frenchie
vsFrench bulldog
  • Informal
7.9

A small dog with a flat face sometimes used as a nickname for a French person

is the formal name used for the specific dog breed rather than an informal nickname

How Small

Chihuahua
11 3.3
French bulldog
2 2.5
bulldog
53 1.7
mastiff
7 4.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

French + bulldog

The noun phrase is compositionally transparent: a learner who knows 'French' (relating to France) and 'bulldog' (a type of dog) will readily infer it denotes a kind/breed of bulldog associated with France. Specific breed details (e.g. size, ear shape) are extra information, but the core meaning is directly derivable and parallels equivalent compounds in many languages.

Etymology

The noun French bulldog comes from small bulldogs that English workers took to France in the 1800s. One popular story says lace makers brought their little dogs and French breeders turned them into the short, bat-eared pets we call French bulldogs today, so the name links the dog to 'France'.