domestic dog
1
1.0
- noun
- /dəˈmɛstɪk dɔg/
:
perro doméstico
- My family adopted a domestic dog from the shelter last week.
- thousands of domestic dogs
- origin of the domestic dog
- domestic dogs and cats
It's no longer really scientifically viable or meaningful to talk about domestic dogs except in relationship to human beings.
- It's no longer really scientifically viable or meaningful to talk about domestic dogs except in relationship to human beings.
Examples
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Domestic dogs are known to harass and kill wildlife, but their impacts are less well studied.
Academic text (2001) -
Through an intensive effort, tens of thousands of domestic dogs have been vaccinated.
Academic text (2009) -
In other words, so far, I have only ever had problems with domestic dogs.
Blog text (18) -
From what wild creature did the domestic dog arise?
Academic text (1997) -
In addition, domestic dogs and cats traditionally are allowed to run freely in both urban and rural areas.
Academic text (2015) -
Veterinarians, public health, and animal control personnel should emphasize vaccination of domestic dogs and cats.
Academic text (2012) -
An outbreak of CDV in 1993 led to the deaths of thousands of domestic dogs near the Serengeti.
Academic text (2009) -
Interestingly, our popular pets, such as the domestic dog, play no balancing role in any ecosystem; they are human-developed and human-maintained.
Academic text (2009) -
"We're again working with Tanzanians living near the Serengeti to ensure widespread vaccination of domestic dogs, this time against rabies," Cleaveland says.
Academic text (2009) -
Ceremonial burials of both domestic dogs and island foxes have also been found on Santa Cruz and San Clemente Islands.
Academic text (2010)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
An animal people keep as a pet that also helps with work like hunting or guarding
49
7.7
A small friendly dog kept as a pet
A scientific name for the domestic dog
How Domesticated
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a domesticated mammal kept by humans' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'domestic' (adapted for human use) with 'dog' (a canine). This straightforward adjective + noun composition is common cross-linguistically and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.
Etymology
Domestic dog comes from wild wolves that slowly learned to live near people and in their homes. Because these tamer wolves stayed with humans and helped with hunting and work, domestic came to mean 'living at home with people', so the phrase now means a dog 'kept by humans' as a pet or helper.