English
terrier
Terrier comes from Old French chien terrier ‘terrier dog’.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chien terrier‘terrier dog’
- Englishearliest quotation 2020terrier
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chien terrier‘terrier dog’
- Englishearliest quotation 2020terrier
Earliest quotation: 2020, Paul Bigland, At no point have I felt unsafe...: “One of the LNER dispatch staff is a terrier…”
A compound of chien ‘dog’ + terrier ‘of earth’
Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ ‘dog’
Latin canis ‘a dog, a hound (animal)’
Old French chien ‘dog’
Every English word from Old French chien terrier
Today it means
noun A dog from a group of small, lively breeds, originally bred for the hunting of burrowing prey such as rats, rabbits, foxes, and even otters; this original function is reflected in some of their names (e.g. rat terrier).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French chien terrier / terrier