Definition

Noun: 1. A breed of tall, slender, swift hunting dog with keen eyesight, resembling a greyhound, originally from the Middle East and North Africa: The saluki is an ancient sighthound breed known for its grace, speed, and endurance, historically used for hunting game such as gazelles.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The saluki is one of the oldest known dog breeds.
  • With its long legs and deep chest, the saluki is built for high-speed pursuit.
  • They adopted a rescued saluki from the shelter.

Advanced Usage

• "In full cry": While more common with other hunting breeds, this phrase can describe a saluki in passionate pursuit of prey.
  • The salukis were in full cry across the desert plain.
• Cultural/Ethnographic Context: The saluki is often referred to as the "royal dog of Egypt" and holds a special status in some Middle Eastern cultures, historically not being considered merely a dog but a treasured gift.

Variants and Related Words

• Gazelle hound: An alternative name for the saluki, referencing one of its traditional quarries.
• Persian greyhound: Another historical name for the breed.
• Sighthound: The category of hunting dogs (including greyhounds, whippets, and salukis) that hunt primarily by sight and speed rather than scent.

Synonyms

• Sighthound: A general term for the type of dog.
• Greyhound: A different but physically and functionally similar breed; used for comparison.

Related Phrases

• To course (with salukis): To hunt game, typically hares, with sighthounds like salukis by sight over open ground.
  • The tribe traditionally coursed gazelles with their salukis.

Related Idioms

• (As) graceful as a saluki: Used to describe a person or animal with exceptional elegance and fluidity of movement.
  • The dancer moved across the stage, as graceful as a saluki.

Noun

1. old breed of tall swift keen-eyed hunting dogs resembling greyhounds; from Egypt and southwestern Asia