What does pug mean?
A pug is a small, compact dog known for its short muzzle, wrinkled brow, bulging eyes, and curled tail. It became a familiar household companion because of its manageable size, playful temperament, and distinctive appearance. The word can also denote a face with a similarly compressed or wrinkled expression, though this use is informal and can sound mildly insulting when directed at a person. A third, dated sense refers to a boxer. In ordinary modern English, however, pug almost always means the dog breed. The breed reached Britain and North America from continental Europe during the nineteenth century and was recognized by kennel organizations as a separate breed in the twentieth. Its compact proportions and expressive face have made it one of the most recognizable dogs in popular culture, and the name itself vividly preserves an older comparison between its compressed features and a clenched fist.
nounA pug is a small, stocky dog with a short muzzle, wrinkled face, and tightly curled tail. By extension, the word can mean a face resembling that of a pug and, in dated informal use, a boxer.
- A small, stocky breed of dog with a wrinkled face and short muzzle.
- A face or head resembling that of a pug.
- A boxer or pugilist, especially in dated informal usage.
"Their pug trotted across the garden, its wrinkled face bristling with alertness."
"The pug fell asleep on the warm doorstep."
"He turned toward her with an amusing, pug-like expression."
"Years later, the veteran pug was still a familiar figure in the fight world."
The ordinary plural for the dog breed; pugs may also be used informally for pug-like faces.
"Two pugs waited beside the gate, wagging their curled tails."
The name pug comes from a word meaning “fist,” an apt image for a dog whose face is so tightly folded.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pug come from?
English pug was borrowed from Dutch pug, an old word meaning “fist,” and was initially used for a clenched fist and then for a face resembling one. The name was applied to the dog breed during the nineteenth century because of the animal's tightly folded, fist-like face. The breed's later development and spread through Britain and North America made the short form pug familiar as a name for the dog itself.
How pug is actually used
The animal sense is standard and international. The face sense is informal and often mildly disparaging when applied to people, while the boxer sense is dated.
Easily confused with pug
A pug is a dog breed, whereas a puff is a small burst of air, smoke, steam, or powder.
A pug is a small dog, while a peg is a pin or peg used for hanging or fastening objects.