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
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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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