wire-haired pointing griffon
- noun
:
griffón de pelo duro
- The wire-haired pointing griffon is prized for its keen sense of smell during bird hunts.
Examples
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Her wire-haired pointing griffon loves to swim and needs plenty of exercise every day.
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We adopted a wire-haired pointing griffon because of its friendly temperament and intelligence.
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The wire-haired pointing griffon is known for its friendly temperament.
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Many hunters prefer the wire-haired pointing griffon for its excellent tracking skills.
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The wire-haired pointing griffon is an excellent companion for hunters due to its ability to track game.
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Her wire-haired pointing griffon enjoys accompanying us on long hikes through the countryside.
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Many families appreciate the wire-haired pointing griffon for its loving nature and playful spirit.
Surface Forms
Morphology
wire-haired + point + griffon
The meaning 'a breed of gun dog with a harsh wiry coat that points for game' is compositionally derived from 'wire-haired' (wiry outer coat) + 'pointing' (stands rigidly to indicate game) + 'griffon' (a type of dog). This descriptive, modifier + noun naming pattern is cross-linguistically common for dog breeds, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can reliably infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Wire-haired pointing griffon is a name that describes the dog's look and job: wire-haired means it has a rough, stiff coat, pointing means it stands still to show where birds are, and griffon is an old word for a rough-coated hunting dog. So the name helps you remember that this breed has a 'wire' coat and is used 'to point' game during bird hunts.
