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Glite Dictionary
Norwich terrier

Norwich terrier

7.0
A small English terrier dog with short legs, a wiry coat, and pointed ears
  • noun
  • /ˈnɔrɪtʃ ˈtɛriər/
translation icon : terrier de Norwich
  • The Norwich terrier is known for its friendly and fearless temperament.

Examples

  • The Norwich terrier is known for its friendly nature.

  • At the dog show, the judge praised the Norwich terrier's distinctive wiry coat.

  • Sophie adopted a playful Norwich terrier from the local animal shelter last year.

  • I saw a Norwich terrier at the park yesterday.

  • The couple adopted a Norwich terrier because they wanted a small and playful dog.

  • Her Norwich terrier has a wiry coat that is primarily red and stands out in the park.

  • At the dog show, the Norwich terrier impressed the judges with its lively personality and erect ears.

Surface Forms

Norwich terrier singular
Norwich terriers plural

Morphology

Norwich + terrier

The compound combines a place name ('Norwich') with the noun 'terrier' (a small dog breed), so its meaning — a terrier breed associated with Norwich — is directly derivable from the constituents. This place-name + breed naming pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Norwich terrier is named after the city of Norwich in England, where people long ago bred small terrier dogs to catch rats in homes and on farms. That's why the name now means a 'small, brave dog' with short legs and a rough coat.