rat terrier
Noun: 1. A type of small, active dog originally bred for hunting vermin, especially rats: "rat terrier" refers to a breed or type of terrier dog specifically developed for its skill and tenacity in catching and killing rats and other small pests. It is characterized by its intelligence, energy, and compact, muscular build.
The term "rat terrier" is used to identify a specific category of working terrier. It functions as a countable noun. * Example as a subject: The rat terrier chased the rodent into the barn. * Example as an object: Farmers often kept a rat terrier for pest control.
- As a modifier: The term can be used attributively to describe related nouns.
- She is an expert in rat terrier training.
- We attended a rat terrier breed show.
- Ratter (noun): A general term for a dog, cat, or person skilled at catching rats. While a "rat terrier" is a specific type of "ratter," not all "ratters" are "rat terriers."
- Terrier (noun): The broader category of dog breeds to which the rat terrier belongs, all originally bred for hunting and digging.
- Vermin dog: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the dog's purpose.
- Rattler (informal): A colloquial term for a dog that hunts rats.
The term "rat terrier" has a very specific, breed-related meaning and is not commonly used with other definitions. Its core meaning is consistently tied to the type of dog.
- any of several breeds of terrier developed to catch rats