Staffordshire bull terrier

7.0

A strong, medium-sized English dog with a stocky body, smooth coat, and friendly nature

noun
/ˈstæfərdʃɪr bʊl ˈtɛrɪər/

: Staffordshire bull terrier

The Staffordshire bull terrier is known for its loyalty and affectionate nature.

Examples

At the dog show, her Staffordshire bull terrier won first place in the agility competition.
Many families choose a Staffordshire bull terrier because of its friendly temperament with children.
My friend has a Staffordshire bull terrier.
The Staffordshire bull terrier is very loyal.
The Staffordshire bull terrier is known for its strong, stocky build and playful personality.
Many families choose a Staffordshire bull terrier for their loyalty and affectionate nature.
At the dog park, the Staffordshire bull terrier impressed everyone with its agility and friendly demeanor.

Synonyms

Staffordshire bullterrier

vsStaffordshire bull terrier

8.0

A strong, stocky dog from England with a broad head and a short smooth coat

means the same but is written as a single word without a space

Surface Forms

Staffordshire bull terrier singular

Staffordshire bull terriers plural

Morphology

Staffordshire + bull + terrier

Knowing 'bull' and especially 'terrier' will lead a B1 learner to infer this is a kind of dog (a terrier) and that 'bull' signals a robust or bull-related type, so part of the meaning (a dog breed) is recoverable. However 'Staffordshire' is a place name and the exact breed identity and specific traits are conventional and not predictable from the constituents alone, so full comprehension without prior exposure is unlikely.

Etymology

Staffordshire bull terrier gets its name from the English area Staffordshire and from being a mix of strong bulldogs and quick terriers. The bull part points to its bulldog strength and the terrier part to its speedy, brave nature, so the name helps explain why the dog is short, strong, and friendly today.