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Glite Dictionary
giant schnauzer

giant schnauzer

5.9
A large strong dog with thick wiry fur and a beard and bushy eyebrows bred to work
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒaɪənt ˈʃnaʊzər/
translation icon : schnauzer gigante
  • The giant schnauzer is known for its intelligence and makes a great working dog.

Examples

  • He'd get these giant schnauzers, name them all Lurch.

    Intensive Care (2020)

  • At the dog show, the giant schnauzer won first place for its impressive stature and beautiful coat.

  • My neighbor has a giant schnauzer that often plays fetch in the backyard.

Synonyms

schnauzer
vsgiant schnauzer
10 6.8

A medium to large German dog with rough hair and a short bearded face used for guarding and police work

is a larger, more robust working type with thicker coat and heavier build

How Big

giant schnauzer
5.9

Surface Forms

giant schnauzer singular
giant schnauzers plural

Morphology

giant + schnauzer

The meaning 'a very large breed of schnauzer' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'giant' (very large) with 'schnauzer' (a dog breed). This simple adjective + noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Giant schnauzer: The name giant schnauzer comes from German: schnauzer comes from the word 'schnauze', meaning 'nose' or 'muzzle', because these dogs have a thick beard around their mouth. Breeders made a larger, stronger schnauzer for farm work and guarding, so the word giant shows it is a big working dog, which is why the name means a large, strong schnauzer.