TOY DOG

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does toy dog mean? 

• TOY DOG (noun)
  The noun TOY DOG has 1 sense:

1. any of several breeds of very small dogs kept purely as pets

  Familiarity information: TOY DOG used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TOY DOG (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of several breeds of very small dogs kept purely as pets

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

toy; toy dog

Hypernyms ("toy dog" is a kind of...):

Canis familiaris; dog; domestic dog (a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "toy dog"):

Chihuahua (an old breed of tiny short-haired dog with protruding eyes from Mexico held to antedate Aztec civilization)

Japanese spaniel (breed of toy dogs originating in Japan having a silky black-and-white or red-and-white coat)

Maltese; Maltese dog; Maltese terrier (breed of toy dogs having a long straight silky white coat)

Peke; Pekinese; Pekingese (a Chinese breed of small short-legged dogs with a long silky coat and broad flat muzzle)

Shih-Tzu (a Chinese breed of small dog similar to a Pekingese)

toy spaniel (a very small spaniel)

toy terrier (a small active dog)

 Context examples 

The Griffon is a sturdy toy dog of square proportions with a domed head, undershot jaw, and a very short nose.

(Brussels Griffon, NCI Thesaurus)