alan

noun

variants or alaunt or less commonly alant or alaun or alaund

plural -s

1

archaic : a large dog used to hunt wild animals

2

heraldry : a short-eared dog

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alaunt, from Middle French alant, alan, from Old Spanish alán, alano

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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