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Glite Dictionary
English cocker spaniel

English cocker spaniel

2.7
A small, lively dog with long silky ears and wavy hair often kept as a pet
  • noun
  • /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈkɒkər ˈspæn.jəl/
translation icon : cocker spaniel inglés
  • They adopted an English cocker spaniel puppy from the animal shelter last month.

Examples

  • My English cocker spaniel loves to play fetch.

  • The English cocker spaniel is known for its affectionate nature and beautiful coat.

  • Her family has bred English cocker spaniels for generations.

  • The English cocker spaniel is very friendly.

  • The family decided to adopt an English cocker spaniel because of its friendly nature.

  • An English cocker spaniel eagerly wagged its tail while playing fetch in the park.

  • She trained her English cocker spaniel to perform tricks, showcasing its intelligence and energy.

Synonyms

spaniel
vsEnglish cocker spaniel
18 3.0

A dog with long silky ears and a soft coat

is the specific small breed developed in England rather than a general gun dog
cocker
vsEnglish cocker spaniel
13 4.6

A small dog with long ears and silky fur often kept as a pet

is the full formal breed name rather than the short name
cocker spaniel
vsEnglish cocker spaniel
5 1.2

A small friendly dog with long silky ears and wavy fur kept as a pet

is livelier in temperament rather than mainly affectionate

Surface Forms

English cocker spaniel singular
English cocker spaniels plural

Morphology

English + cocker + spaniel

The phrase is fully compositional: 'English' (from England) + 'cocker' (a small type of spaniel) + 'spaniel' (a dog breed) combine to indicate a cocker spaniel breed originating or associated with England. This noun‑phrase structure and the literal contributions of each constituent are cross‑linguistically common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows the parts should understand the meaning.

Etymology

English cocker spaniel gets its name from its job and home: spaniel was an old name for dogs that worked with hunters, cocker comes from the bird 'woodcock' these dogs often hunted, and English shows where the breed was developed. That's why the name tells us it is a small English hunting dog.