Skip to main content
silky terrier

silky terrier

4.9
A small dog from Australia with a long shiny blue and light brown coat
  • noun
  • /ˈsɪlki ˈtɛriər/
  • Australian
translation icon : terriero sedoso
  • With its long, shiny coat, the silky terrier requires regular grooming to stay healthy.

Examples

  • The silky terrier pranced proudly around the dog show ring.

  • She adopted a playful silky terrier from the animal shelter last year.

  • The silky terrier is known for its beautiful coat.

  • Do you have a silky terrier?

  • She adopted a playful silky terrier from the animal shelter last year.

  • With its long, shiny coat, the silky terrier requires regular grooming to stay healthy.

  • The silky terrier pranced proudly around the dog show ring.

Synonyms

toy terrier
vssilky terrier
1 3.7

A very small lively dog often kept as a pet

is the specific Australian toy breed noted for a silky blue-and-tan coat
Sydney silky
vssilky terrier
  • Australian
7.9

A small companion dog from Australia with a soft blue coat

is the same Australian toy form but with a blue-and-tan silky coat

Surface Forms

silky terrier singular

Morphology

silky + terrier

The meaning is directly and transparently derivable from 'silky' (having a soft, smooth, shiny quality) + 'terrier' (a small dog breed); the compound names for breeds follow normal adjective + noun composition. A B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer this refers to a small terrier with a silky coat.

Etymology

Silky terrier comes from the dog's shiny, soft fur and its terrier type. Silky describes the long, smooth coat and terrier names a 'small, lively dog', so the name tells you it's a small dog with a silky coat.