dachshund

noun

dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt How to pronounce dachshund (audio) -ˌhu̇nd How to pronounce dachshund (audio)
ˈdäk-sənt;
especially British ˈdak-sənd
: any of a breed of long-bodied, short-legged dogs of German origin that occur in short-haired, long-haired, and wirehaired varieties

Illustration of dachshund

Illustration of dachshund

Examples of dachshund in a Sentence

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The duo settled into life together with their dachshunds, Baby and Boopshen. — Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026 Alex Karalius, who lives in Salford near Manchester, was taking his two dachshunds for a walk on June 23, 2026, when he was suddenly fell unwell. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 Oct. 2026 There’s a new one this year at Union Station – along with an extra perk for dachshund owners. — Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026 But the first thing that came up in my feed happened to be a picture of a dachshund. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dachshund

Word History

Etymology

German, from Dachs badger + Hund dog

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dachshund was in 1878

Browse Nearby Words

dachs
dachshund
dachsie
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dachshund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dachshund. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dachshund

noun
dachs·​hund ˈdäks-ˌhu̇nt How to pronounce dachshund (audio) ˈdäk-sənt How to pronounce dachshund (audio)
: any of a breed of dogs of German origin with a long body, very short legs, and long drooping ears
Etymology

from German Dachshund "dachshund," literally, "badger dog," from Dachs "badger" and Hund dog

Word Origin
The dachshund is a dog with short legs and a long history. The breed was developed in Germany more than a thousand years ago to hunt burrowing animals such as badgers. With its short legs and long, powerful body, the dachshund could follow a badger right down into its hole. It could even fight with the badger underground. The German name for the breed was Dachshund, a compound of Dachs, meaning "badger," and Hund, "dog." This German name was borrowed directly into English.

More from Merriam-Webster on dachshund

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dachshund

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