Kerry blue terrier

6.7

A medium-sized Irish dog with a silky blue-grey coat

noun
/ˈkɛri bluː ˈtɛriər/

: terriera Kerry azul

Grooming a Kerry blue terrier requires regular brushing to maintain its distinctive coat.

Examples

At the dog show, Sarah proudly displayed her Kerry blue terrier.
The Kerry blue terrier is known for its intelligence and loyalty.
The Kerry blue terrier is known for its friendly nature.
Have you ever seen a Kerry blue terrier?
At the dog show, Sarah proudly displayed her Kerry blue terrier.
Grooming a Kerry blue terrier requires regular brushing to maintain its distinctive coat.
The Kerry blue terrier is known for its intelligence and loyalty.

Surface Forms

Kerry blue terrier singular

Kerry blue terriers plural

Morphology

Kerry + blue + terrier

The sense 'a terrier breed with a blue-grey coat from Kerry' is transparently built from the constituents: 'blue' denotes coat color and 'terrier' identifies the dog type, while 'Kerry' functions as a place/name modifier indicating origin or breed name. This place+color+breed pattern is a straightforward compositional naming strategy found across languages, so a B1 learner knowing the parts would infer it denotes a specific kind of terrier.

Etymology

Kerry blue terrier may come from County Kerry in Ireland, where farmers bred a small working terrier with a soft blue-grey coat. So the name literally describes a terrier from Kerry with a blue coat.