Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A dog of any of three breeds of various sizes, the miniature schnauzer, standard schnauzer, and giant schnauzer, having a blunt muzzle with a bristly beard and a wiry salt-and-pepper or black coat.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A breed of dog originating in Germany

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun old German breed of sturdy black or greyish wire-haired terriers having a blunt muzzle ranging in size from fairly small to very large; used as ratters and guard dogs or police dogs

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[German, from Schnauze, snout, alteration of Middle Low German snūte.]

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Examples

  • One schnauzer was very possessive with his "mom" and me.

    Does Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed? 2010

  • Our mini schnauzer, Joebert, is approaching three years of age.

    Employment and the Captaincy of Your Soul Wendy Huanjie Wang 2011

  • Imagine being in an accident and having to get a miniature schnauzer pulled from your sternum.

    Dogs get old too John Kelly 2010

  • One schnauzer was very possessive with his "mom" and me.

    Does Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed? 2010

  • Imagine being in an accident and having to get a miniature schnauzer pulled from your sternum.

    Dogs get old too John Kelly 2010

  • Dear Readers: Mel and Barbara Mosher of Amsterdam, N.Y., sent a photo of their miniature schnauzer, Abigail, with their daughter's cocker spaniel, Zoe, standing at the top of the cellar stairs waiting for someone to come up.

    Hints From Heloise washingtonpost.com 2010

  • I know Janet Reno would like you to believe that Elian got here on the wings of a magical schnauzer, but no! It might be comforting to keep these prisoners in legal limbo, but the thing is they're not actually in limbo.

    Take No Prisoners 2009

  • He chops food with the soft part of his hand and then fists it down to the ground where our schnauzer Puss sits squinting up, looking like a gold prospector enjoying a sunup.

    Baby Teak Michael Seidel 2011

  • Imagine being in an accident and having to get a miniature schnauzer pulled from your sternum.

    Dogs get old too John Kelly 2010

  • Her dog Sammy, a small schnauzer, panted his kibble breath behind her.

    Apples to Apples Jessie Galioto-Grebe 2011

Comments

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  • What an awesome word.

    A dog breed that "comes from Bavaria... The name comes from the German word Schnauze, or muzzle.... In the eighteenth century (it) was a carriage dog and a watchdog in stables. Since it has some terrier blood, it was also used as a hunter of rodents.... Among the schnauzer's good qualities, two are noteworthy: its longevity (schnauzers usually live about fifteen years) and its lack of a doggy smell." (Simon & Schuster's Guide to Dogs, 1980)

    February 21, 2007

  • Lack of a doggy smell? But isn't that what makes a dog a dog?? ;-)

    February 22, 2007

  • That's what I think too. And if it doesn't smell like a dog... what *does* it smell like? French fries? That's too weird! Who wants a dog that smells like French fries?

    February 22, 2007

  • Or a bouquet of freesia, for that matter.

    On the other hand, I have a friend who swears that all puppies' paws smell like popcorn. I never understood that (never having owned a dog--or smelled a puppy's paws, for that matter).

    Maybe it's part of the doggy smell. ;-)

    February 22, 2007