Bedlington terrier
- noun
- /ˈbɛdlɪŋtən ˈtɛriər/
- The Bedlington terrier is known for its unique lamb-like appearance and friendly disposition.
Examples
-
He has a strangely elongated onslaught of a face, rather like that of a Bedlington terrier.
Fiction book (1991) -
Many families choose a Bedlington terrier for its hypoallergenic coat and playful nature.
-
At the dog show, the Bedlington terrier stood out with its curly, pale coat and charming personality.
Synonyms
A small dog bred to hunt animals that live underground
Surface Forms
Morphology
Bedlington + terrier
The compound follows a common breed-naming pattern (PLACE + terrier) where 'terrier' clearly signals a small dog breed; knowing the constituents allows a learner to infer it is a type of terrier associated with Bedlington. While the exact appearance or origin details are not derivable, the basic meaning 'a terrier dog from Bedlington / a terrier breed' is transparently predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Bedlington terrier comes from the town Bedlington in northern England, where miners and workers bred a small, fast dog 'to catch rats' and the word terrier shows it was a working dog. Breeders later mixed it with other dogs so its coat became soft and curly and the dog looked like a little 'lamb', which is why the breed still has that gentle, lamb-like look today.