Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Scotch terrier

Scotch terrier

4.1
A small Scottish dog with long rough fur and ears and tail that stand up
  • noun
  • /skɒtʃ ˈtɛriər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : terrier escocés
  • My Scotch terrier loves to play in the garden.

Examples

  • In Victorian times, the Scotch terrier gained popularity as a companion animal in Scotland.

  • Her family keeps a friendly Scotch terrier that loves to go for walks in the park.

  • The Scotch terrier is known for its wiry black coat and sturdy build.

  • The Scotch terrier barked at the mailman.

  • Her plump Scotch terrier happily chased the ball across the yard.

  • The Scotch terrier barked excitedly when it saw its owner coming home.

  • I took my Scotch terrier for a walk in the park, where it attracted many compliments.

Synonyms

Scottie
vsScotch terrier
30 5.2

A small Scottish dog with long fur, short legs, and upright ears and tail

is the older term focusing on historical origin more than general description
Scottish terrier
vsScotch terrier
1 3.2

A small, sturdy dog with long black hair and erect ears

is the older named form stressing its age rather than sturdiness

Surface Forms

Scotch terrier singular
Scotch terriers plural

Morphology

Scotch + terrier

The meaning is directly derivable from 'Scotch' (pertaining to Scotland) + 'terrier' (a small dog breed): it denotes a terrier breed from Scotland. This nation-adjective + animal-breed pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows regular compositional rules, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand it.

Etymology

The name Scotch terrier comes from Scotland; Scotch is an old word for 'Scottish'. The word terrier named small dogs that dug into the ground to catch rats and other pests, so Scotch terrier means a small Scottish dog bred for hunting and farm work.