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Glite Dictionary
sled dog

sled dog

6 2.7
A dog trained to pull a sled in snowy areas
  • noun
  • /slɛd dɔg/
  • UK
translation icon : perro de trineo
  • The team of sled dogs raced across the icy landscape during the annual competition.
  • sled dog race
  • sled dog team
  • Iditarod sled dog

But I'm especially happy that these people could join us in here after mushing their sled dogs through the Midtown tundra to join us here at the end of the Eagle.

Examples

  • Mushing requires a well-trained team of sled dogs to navigate the challenging terrain.

  • But I'm especially happy that these people could join us in here after mushing their sled dogs through the Midtown tundra to join us here at the end of the Eagle.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • Beyond here, you must have flight or sled dogs.

    Blog text (31)

  • Will the sled dogs give better performances?

    Blog text (7)

  • Doing the work of a sled dog brought Buck confidence and joy.

    The Call of the Wild (2020)

  • Shasta is a master sled dog.

    Marmaduke (2010)

  • He was introduced to a whole pack of sled dogs.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • We're here at the starting line awaiting the signal to begin the 112th Arctic Challenge sled dog races.

    Snow Dogs (2002)

  • Woodsong contains a map of Alaska focusing on the Iditarod sled dog race.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The Call of the Wild is about one of those sled dogs—a shepherd named Buck.

    Fiction book (2000)

Synonyms

husky
vssled dog
14 2.4

A strong dog with thick fur used to pull sleds

is the general trained pulling dog type, not a specific breed
malamute
vssled dog
2 7.6

A large strong dog with thick fur used for pulling sleds

is the broader category, not limited to any single breed
Siberian husky
vssled dog
1 2.3

A medium-sized dog with thick fur and erect ears used for pulling sleds

falls under the broad trained pulling dogs rather than naming one breed
Eskimo dog
vssled dog
  • US
1 6.0

An Arctic dog with thick fur used to pull sleds over snow

is the general trained dog category rather than a specific breed
sledge dog
vssled dog
  • UK
4.3

A dog trained to pull a sled in snowy places

is the standard alternative form for the same meaning
Alaskan malamute
vssled dog
7.3

A large strong dog with thick fur used to pull sleds

belongs to the general trained pulling dog group, not one regional breed
malemute
vssled dog
  • US
8.4

A large strong dog from Alaska used to pull sleds in snow

is the broader trained pulling dog category rather than one breed

How Strong

draft animal
  • US
1 3.9
sled dog
  • UK
6 2.7
working dog
3 2.5

Surface Forms

sled dog singular
sled dogs plural

Morphology

sled + dog

The meaning 'a dog trained to pull a sled' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'sled' (a vehicle with runners) and 'dog' (a canine), i.e., a dog associated with sled use. This straightforward noun–noun compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically (e.g., chien de traîneau, perro de trineo) and should be immediately inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The noun sled dog comes from the simple image of a dog wearing a harness and pulling a sled across the snow. Because these dogs were trained to pull sleds, the phrase now means 'a dog trained to pull a sled'.