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Glite Dictionary
friendly mutt

friendly mutt

2.1
A mixed-breed dog that is friendly and likes people
  • noun
  • /ˈfrɛndli mʌt/
  • Informal
translation icon : perro amistoso
  • At the animal shelter, a friendly mutt greeted every visitor with a wagging tail.

Examples

  • She found a friendly mutt wandering near the park and decided to take him home.

  • The kids played all afternoon with the friendly mutt that lived next door.

  • My neighbor has a friendly mutt.

  • That friendly mutt loves to play with children!

  • At the animal shelter, a friendly mutt greeted every visitor with a wagging tail.

  • The kids played all afternoon with the friendly mutt that lived next door.

  • She found a friendly mutt wandering near the park and decided to take him home.

Synonyms

mutt
vsfriendly mutt
  • Informal
84 2.8

A dog whose parents are different breeds

focuses on friendliness and approachability rather than pedigree
pooch
vsfriendly mutt
  • Informal
49 7.7

A small friendly dog kept as a pet

is a mixed breed dog that emphasizes friendliness and approachability

Antonyms

aggressive
311 3.7

Behaving in a hostile way and ready to attack or argue

unapproachable
3 6.6

Not friendly and hard to talk to so people avoid them

How Friendly

friendly mutt
  • Informal
2.1
aloof
34 6.3

Surface Forms

friendly mutt singular
friendly mutts plural

Morphology

friendly + mutt

The meaning 'a friendly mixed-breed dog' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'friendly' (showing kindness) with 'mutt' (a dog of mixed breed). This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition common across languages and registers (though 'mutt' is informal), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Friendly mutt joins friendly and mutt, where mutt has long meant a dog of mixed family lines. The image is a scruffy, tail-wagging dog that everyone likes, so the phrase means 'a friendly, mixed-breed dog'.