terrier

1
[ ter-ee-er ]

noun
  1. any of several breeds of usually small dogs, used originally to pursue game and drive it out of its hole or burrow.

  2. (initial capital letter)U.S. Military. a surface-to-air, two-stage antiaircraft missile.

Origin of terrier

1
1400–50; <Middle French, short for chien terrier literally, dog of the earth (<Medieval Latin terrārius;see terra, -ier2); so called because used to start badgers from their burrows; replacing late Middle English terrere<Anglo-French (see -er2)

Words Nearby terrier

Other definitions for terrier (2 of 2)

terrier2
[ ter-ee-er ]

nounLaw.
  1. a book or document in which are described the site, boundaries, acreage, tenants, etc., of certain lands.

Origin of terrier

2
1470–80; <Middle French, short for registre terrier register of land (<Medieval Latin terrārius;see terra, -ier2); replacing earlier terrere<Anglo-French (see -er2

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How to use terrier in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for terrier (1 of 3)

terrier1

/ (ˈtɛrɪə) /


noun
  1. any of several usually small, active, and short-bodied breeds of dog, originally trained to hunt animals living underground

Origin of terrier

1
C15: from Old French chien terrier earth dog, from Medieval Latin terrārius belonging to the earth, from Latin terra earth

British Dictionary definitions for terrier (2 of 3)

terrier2

/ (ˈtɛrɪə) /


noun
  1. English legal history a register or survey of land

Origin of terrier

2
C15: from Old French, from Medieval Latin terrārius of the land, from Latin terra land

British Dictionary definitions for Terrier (3 of 3)

Terrier

/ (ˈtɛrɪə) /


noun
  1. informal a member of the British Army's Territorial and Volunteer Reserve

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