German shepherd dog
11
2.5
- noun
- /ˈɡɜrmən ˈʃɛpərd dɔɡ/
:
pastor alemán
- My friend has a German shepherd dog that is both friendly and protective of his family.
- German shepherd dog
- German shepherd puppy
- German shepherd mix
Examples
-
Tumaini, his German shepherd, let out a low whine from where she was crouched under his sleeping cot.
Fiction book (2001) -
A white German Shepherd puppy clicks across the tile floor and yips at Catherine.
Fiction book (2000) -
There are three big German Shepherd dogs in the factory.
Fiction book (1994) -
If you had a protection dog like a German Shepherd, would that help scare away thieves?
Blog text (11) -
They found the body of a German Shepherd dog just beyond the reservoir road.
-
In the backyard, John's German Shepherd is going bonkers, barking at something.
Fiction book (1991) -
My dog, an adolescent German shepherd named Arnie, scratched violently.
Fiction book (1997) -
VOIGHT HOUSE/BACKYARD - NIGHT: T-1000 approaches the big German Shepherd, which slinks away from it, barking in fear.
Fiction book (1991) -
You know how notorious Attorney Sabate's dogs are—large German shepherds with a knack for jumping on strangers.
Fiction book (2000) -
The German shepherd dog was trained to assist the blind, demonstrating its intelligence and loyalty.
Synonyms
12
2.5
A large, smart dog often used by police or as a guide dog
1
3.1
A large dog breed also called the German Shepherd, often used by police and as guide dogs
A large, intelligent dog used by police and sometimes as a guide for blind people
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'German' (from Germany) + 'shepherd' (one who tends sheep) + 'dog' (canine), so the phrase denotes a dog associated with shepherding in Germany (i.e., a breed). This is a straightforward, descriptive noun-compounding pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
German shepherd dog comes from dogs bred in Germany to help shepherds 'herd' sheep. Because they were made to be strong and very smart, these dogs later worked as 'police dogs' and as guide dogs, so the name now means this particular breed of working dog.