Boston terrier
1
3.5
- noun
- /ˈbɔstən ˈtɛriər/
:
terriera de Boston
- I was surprised by how lively my Boston terrier is despite her small size.
- dogs like Boston terriers
- old Boston terrier
- year-old Boston terrier
Examples
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In a haunting, inspiring, and pretty darned wise essay in last week's Seattle Times, Powell told the story of Poochie, the Boston terrier who was his first dog.
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(Editor's note: After the death of Buster, Powell adopted another Boston terrier, this one a blind and deaf 13-year-old rescue.
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How about another little Boston terrier right here?
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I used to have an adorable Boston terrier.
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Oh my gosh, I'm so excited about this Boston Terrier calendar.
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[Boston terrier]
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But just try to avoid eye contact with a Boston terrier in your house, those two orbs that stick out on the corners of a cube-shaped head.
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Then one day his wife went to a dog show, and though he'd never mentioned Poochie to her, fell in love with Boston terriers, to the point she ordered one from a breeder and asked her husband to pick up the dog, a brindle-colored male named "Buster."
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The Boston terrier is known for its friendly personality and distinctive white markings.
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At the dog park, my Boston terrier loves to play with other small breeds.
Synonyms
48
2.3
A small dog bred to hunt animals that live underground
A small American dog with a short smooth dark coat, white patches, and a flat face
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
Boston + terrier
The compound combines the place name 'Boston' with the noun 'terrier' (a type of dog), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer it is a terrier breed associated with Boston. While specific breed characteristics (appearance) require prior exposure, the basic meaning 'a kind of dog' is transparently derivable and follows a common cross-linguistic naming pattern.
Etymology
Boston terrier comes from the city Boston and the word terrier, a type of small hunting dog. Breeders in Boston mixed small terriers and bulldog-type dogs to make this compact black-and-white pet, so the name means 'a small terrier-type dog from Boston'.