What does dachshund mean?
A dachshund is a distinctive breed of small hound originating in Germany, instantly recognisable by its elongated body, stubby legs, long drooping ears, and alert expression. Bred centuries ago specifically to pursue badgers into their burrows — the name combines the German words Dachs ('badger') and Hund ('dog') — the dachshund remains a capable earth-dog even though today most serve as affectionate family companions. The breed comes in standard and miniature sizes and three coat varieties: smooth, long-haired, and wire-haired. In everyday usage the noun refers either to the breed generally or to an individual dog of that breed. Because of its unusual silhouette, the dachshund has become a cultural icon, inspiring affectionate nicknames such as wiener dog and sausage dog. It is a familiar, well-loved word in British and American English alike, carrying warm, often humorous connotations.
nounA breed of small, long-bodied, short-legged hound of German origin, originally bred to hunt badgers by digging them out of their setts.
- A small German breed of hound with a long body, short legs, and drooping ears, historically used for hunting badgers.
- (Less formally) an individual dog of this breed, kept widely as a companion animal.
"Her dachshund trotted proudly along the beach, its long ears flapping in the wind."
"The dachshund squeezed into the badger sett with remarkable determination for so small a dog."
"At the park, three dachshunds waddled past us, drawing smiles from everyone they met."
The plural follows normal English rules; the German plural 'Dachshunde' occasionally appears among breed enthusiasts but is not standard in English.
"Both of her dachshunds slept curled together on the sofa."
The dachshund was literally engineered to follow badgers underground — which is why its body looks like it was designed by someone who only had a tunnel's measurements to work with.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dachshund
The word dachshund comes directly from German, where it is a compound of Dachs, meaning 'badger', and Hund, meaning 'dog' — literally a 'badger dog'. The breed was developed in Germany several centuries ago for hunting badgers and other burrowing animals. As the breed spread across Europe and to America in the nineteenth century, the German name travelled with it and became naturalised in English. It shares its German origin with other well-known borrowings such as kindergarten, wanderlust, and delicatessen.
How dachshund is actually used
The word is standard and neutral in all registers. Informal nicknames such as 'wiener dog', 'sausage dog', and 'doxie' are common in casual speech, especially in the US. The plural is usually anglicised as 'dachshunds'; the German-style plural 'Dachshunde' is occasionally seen among enthusiasts but is rare in English.
Easily confused with dachshund
Dachau is a city in Bavaria and the site of a Nazi concentration camp; despite the shared 'Dach-' spelling element it has nothing to do with the dog breed.