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Glite Dictionary
Tibetan terrier

Tibetan terrier

6.1
A medium-sized dog from Tibet with a long thick coat and a fluffy curled tail
  • noun
  • /tɪˈbɛtən ˈtɛriər/
translation icon : terriera tibetano
  • Although called a terrier, the Tibetan terrier is not a true terrier by classification.

Examples

  • The Tibetan terrier has a distinctive long coat that needs regular grooming.

  • My family adopted a Tibetan terrier because of its friendly and playful nature.

  • The Tibetan terrier is known for its friendly nature.

  • I saw a Tibetan terrier at the park yesterday.

  • My friend adopted a playful Tibetan terrier with a beautiful, thick coat and a curly tail.

  • The Tibetan terrier is known for its friendly nature and distinct fluffy appearance.

  • Every morning, Lucy takes her Tibetan terrier for a walk in the park, showcasing its long, flowing fur.

Synonyms

chrysanthemum dog
vsTibetan terrier
9.9

A medium-sized dog from Tibet with a fluffy curled tail like an Old English sheepdog

emphasizes a thick long coat rather than resemblance to another breed

Surface Forms

Tibetan terrier singular
Tibetan terriers plural

Morphology

Tibetan + terrier

The meaning is directly compositional: an adjective of origin 'Tibetan' + the noun 'terrier' (a dog breed) yields a dog breed associated with Tibet, so a learner who knows both words will infer it denotes a breed from Tibet. This place‑of‑origin + breed pattern is common cross‑linguistically and any finer details (e.g. exact size) do not prevent the overall meaning being transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Tibetan terrier comes from the dogs' home and how people named them: the word Tibetan shows they came from Tibet, where monks kept these furry dogs on roofs and in houses, and the word terrier was used by visitors to mean a small working dog. So Tibetan terrier today means 'a medium-sized, long-coated dog from Tibet'.