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Glite Dictionary
Staffordshire terrier

Staffordshire terrier

7.2
A strong, muscular dog with a short, smooth, stiff coat
  • noun
  • /ˈstæfərdʃɪr ˈtɛrɪər/
  • US
translation icon : terrier de Staffordshire
  • She entered her prize-winning Staffordshire terrier in the national dog show.

Examples

  • The Staffordshire terrier is known for its loyalty and protective nature.

  • The Staffordshire terrier is known for its strength and loyalty.

  • Our neighbors adopted a young Staffordshire terrier from the animal shelter last month.

  • Many people love their Staffordshire terriers for their playful nature.

  • My neighbor has a friendly Staffordshire terrier that loves to play with kids in the park.

  • The Staffordshire terrier is known for its loyalty and protective nature, making it a great family pet.

  • After adopting a Staffordshire terrier, she quickly learned about the breed's strong and affectionate temperament.

Synonyms

American Staffordshire terrier
vsStaffordshire terrier
5.6

A strong, stocky terrier dog from the United States with a short coat

highlights a short smooth stiff coat rather than origin or stocky build

Surface Forms

Staffordshire terrier singular
Staffordshire terriers plural

Morphology

Staffordshire + terrier

The noun phrase is compositionally a place-name + animal type: 'Staffordshire' (a geographic name) + 'terrier' (a type of dog) yields a terrier associated with Staffordshire. If a B1 learner knows 'Staffordshire' as a place and 'terrier' as a small dog breed, they can readily infer this is a specific dog breed named for that place, a common and transparent naming pattern.

Etymology

Staffordshire terrier comes from Staffordshire, an area in England where people bred strong bull-and-terrier dogs long ago; the word terrier shows the dog 'type' and Staffordshire shows the 'place'. That's why the name now means a muscular, loyal American dog breed.