sporting dog
1
3.4
- noun
- /ˈspɔrtɪŋ dɔg/
- Specialized
- Many hunters rely on a sporting dog to help them locate birds during hunting season.
Examples
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But they're both fun loving, great sporting dogs that are fun to go work with and can work all day.
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The Labrador Retriever is a well-known sporting dog that excels in retrieving game from water.
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In competitions, sporting dogs showcase their skills in retrieving and pointing to impress judges.
Synonyms
34
2.0
A dog with thick, water-resistant fur bred to fetch game for hunters
18
3.0
A dog with long silky ears and a soft coat
10
2.3
A dog trained to find and catch animals or birds
7
4.7
A dog with long fur that stands still to show where birds are
4
7.2
A dog that finds and brings back birds for hunters
3
4.4
A dog trained to swim and fetch ducks during hunting
1
3.8
A dog trained to help hunters by finding and bringing back birds
1
5.3
A large dog with curly fur bred to fetch ducks from water
1
8.0
A very large, tall dog with rough fur bred in Scotland to hunt deer
1
9.9
A dog trained to chase game by sight, often used in hunting
1
7.9
A hunting dog that drives birds out of hiding for hunters
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally an adjective + noun so a learner who knows 'sporting' as 'relating to sport' and 'dog' will likely infer 'a dog used for sport'. However, the specific sense—dogs bred/ trained to assist hunters (retrieving/pointing)—is a specialized, somewhat culture-specific extension of 'sporting' that may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without exposure, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
Sporting dog comes from sporting, a use of the word 'sport' that meant hunting and field games. Picture a dog pointing at a hidden bird or running back with the bird in its mouth, and that image explains why it means a dog bred and trained 'to assist hunters'.