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Bedlington terrier

Bedlington terrier

6.8
A small dog with a curly pale coat and a face like a lamb
  • noun
  • /ˈbɛdlɪŋtən ˈtɛriər/
translation icon : terrier Bedlington
  • 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

terrier
vsBedlington terrier
48 2.3

A small dog bred to hunt animals that live underground

is a specific small breed noted for curly pale coat and lamb-like look

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.