Doberman pinscher
- noun
- /ˈdoʊbərmən ˈpɪnʃər/
- US
- The Doberman pinscher is known for its loyalty and intelligence, making it a popular choice for guard work.
Examples
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She entered her Doberman pinscher in the national dog show, where he impressed the judges with his sleek coat.
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Many families choose a Doberman pinscher for both companionship and protection.
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My neighbor has a Doberman pinscher.
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The Doberman pinscher is known for its loyalty.
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The security guard had a loyal Doberman pinscher that always kept watch over the premises.
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At the dog show, the judges admired the beautiful coat of the Doberman pinscher on display.
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She felt safe in her home knowing that her Doberman pinscher was there to protect her.
Synonyms
A small short-haired dog that comes from Germany
A large, strong dog with short black and tan fur used to guard homes
A large, alert dog with a short coat often used for police work
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound directly names a dog breed composed of the proper name 'Doberman' and the noun 'pinscher' (a type of dog), so a learner who knows both constituents will infer it refers to a kind of dog. This breed-naming pattern is a regular, compositional formation and is cross-linguistically common, making the expression transparent to learners.
Etymology
Doberman pinscher is named after a German man called Karl Dobermann, and the first part became Doberman in English. The second part, pinscher, was an old German word for a lively kind of dog, so the full name shows it is a strong, protective 'dog breed'.