water spaniel
1
5.3
- noun
- /ˈwɔːtər ˈspæn.jəl/
:
spaniel de agua
- With their friendly temperament, the water spaniel is a popular choice among families who enjoy outdoor activities.
Examples
-
"They spend their lives as someone's fluffy lap dog—they're descended from the water spaniel; they used to go on boats. When they die, they die pissed off that no one ever took them seriously."
Fiction book (1997) -
Penny and Dave were a pair of Irish water spaniels who shared the master bedroom with Larry and Meg.
Fiction book (1990) -
She was African American, with the shaggy hair of an Irish water spaniel.
Fiction book (2001) -
The American water spaniel is known for its curly coat and excellent swimming ability, making it a great companion for hunting waterfowl.
-
Trained to retrieve game from the water, the water spaniel showcases its skills during hunting trips with its owners.
Synonyms
32
2.0
A dog with thick, water-resistant fur bred to fetch game for hunters
1
4.4
A dog trained to swim and fetch ducks during hunting
1
3.9
A medium to large energetic hunting dog with long ears and a wavy soft coat
1
3.9
A large strong dog with a thick oily coat that brings back birds from water
1
3.4
A medium-sized dog with a black-and-white or brown-and-white coat used for hunting and bringing back birds
A large strong dog with a tight curly coat that brings back birds and other animals from land or water
A friendly hunting dog with a long shiny black or brown coat that brings back animals from water and land
A medium dog with curly brown fur that swims and fetches birds from water
A large dog with a curly brown coat and a nearly hairless tail that fetches things from water
A large dog used for hunting that finds and brings back birds, often black with dense wavy fur
How Aquatic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a breed of dog used for retrieving game from water' is directly compositional from 'water' (relating to aquatic environment) + 'spaniel' (a type of dog). This standard noun–noun modifier pattern denotes association or function (a spaniel associated with water) and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The name water spaniel comes from the simple picture of a hunting dog that works in water and the word spaniel for a type of hunting dog. Because these dogs would swim to catch and 'bring back' birds for hunters, the name now means a breed made to fetch game from water.