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golden retriever

golden retriever

14 1.4
A large friendly dog with long golden fur often kept as a family pet
  • noun
  • /ˈɡoʊldən rɪˈtrivər/
translation icon : golden retriever
  • The golden retriever is known for its friendly temperament and makes a great companion for children.
  • golden retriever puppy
  • old golden retriever
  • purebred golden retriever

So most schools, you'll see purebred labs, golden retrievers, poodles, those are the three most common.

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Examples

  • I once had a wonderful golden retriever whose birthday is today; we named her All Hallow's Tessa.

    Blog text (6)
  • We both go to the same church, we both love our golden retriever, we're both science geeks and we love to geek out.

  • Oh, yes, I have a dog now, a golden retriever.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The guy before me had a golden retriever.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • When he left, he left everything except a few articles of clothing, Sam the golden retriever, and his truck.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • "Dad, can we get a golden retriever?" Long pause.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • I recently got a golden retriever and got the runaround about her shots.

    Blog text (22)
  • Back at the cabin, I see Holly with her two golden retrievers bounding through the snow.

    Blog text (5)
  • There was a fierce scratching at the door, and Daniel ran to let Barney, his golden retriever, out into the yard.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • When he flops down on the couch, he looks like a big, amiable golden retriever.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

dog
vsgolden retriever
1.0

An animal people keep as a pet that also helps with work like hunting or guarding

refers to a specific large breed known for silky golden coat and friendly intelligence
retriever
vsgolden retriever
32 2.0

A dog with thick, water-resistant fur bred to fetch game for hunters

emphasizes a friendly family companion with a silky golden coat and intelligence

How Hairy

golden retriever
14 1.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

golden + retriever

The meaning is directly compositional: a 'golden retriever' is a retriever (a dog bred to retrieve) that is golden in color. This follows a straightforward adjective + noun pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the breed's basic description.

Etymology

The name golden retriever comes from the dog's shiny golden coat and its job as a retriever, a dog that would 'retrieve', or bring back, birds for hunters. So the name links the color and the work, and today it means a friendly dog breed known for fetching and swimming.