1
a
: a mongrel or inferior dog
b
: a medium-sized hunting and working dog with a short coat that was developed in the southern U.S. and is sometimes considered to comprise one or more breeds
2
: a surly or cowardly fellow

cur

2 of 2

abbreviation

1
currency
2
current

Examples of cur in a Sentence

Noun denounced as curs those police officers who deserted their posts during the hurricane and its aftermath
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
His Orlok is more feral and red-blooded than previous iterations, appearing swathed in ursine furs and accompanied by mangy curs. Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, short for curdogge, from Middle English *curren to growl (perhaps from Old Norse kurra to grumble) + Middle English dogge dog

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cur was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near cur

Cite this Entry

“Cur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cur. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

cur

noun
ˈkər
1
: a mongrel dog
2

Medical Definition

cur

abbreviation
1
curative
2
current

More from Merriam-Webster on cur

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!