Terrier

From Old French (Middle French) chien terrier "terrier dog", or literally "earth dog," from chien 'dog' + terrier (itself ultimately from Latin terra 'earth').

Alternative forms

• tarrier obsolete (the dog)

Full definition of terrier

Noun

1. 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).
2. (legal, historical) A collection of acknowledgments of the vassals or tenants of a lordship, containing the rents and services they owed to the lord, etc.
3. (legal) A book or roll in which the lands of private persons or corporations are described by their site, boundaries, number of acres, etc.; a terrar.

Derived terms

• Airedale terrier
• American hairless terrier
• bull terrier
• Bedlington Terrier
• Boston terrier
• Dandie Dinmont
• Fox terrier
• toy fox terrier
• Irish terrier
• Jack Russell terrier
• Kerry blue terrier
• Pit bull terrier
• Rat Terrier
• Scottish terrier
• Sealyham terrier
• Skye terrier
• Yorkshire terrier
• West Highland white terrier
• Wheaten terrier
• wire-haired terrier

Related terms

• terra
• Terra
• terra firma
• Terran
• terrace
• terracotta
• terrain
• terrene
• terrestrial
• extraterrestrial
• territorial
• territory
• terroir

Compare Latin terere ("to rub, to rub away"), terebra ("a borer").

Noun

1. An auger or borer.

Anagrams

• retirer