dog bone

noun

plural dog bones
1
: a bone (such as a beef or pork bone) that is prepared or intended to be chewed by a dog
I don't tell him that about twice a week, I give her a hickory-smoked beef dog bone to chew. I know if I told him, he would lecture me on the evils of giving bones to dogs. John Ross
With the holidays approaching, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people who plan on spoiling their four-legged friends to think twice before buying dog bone treats such as ham bones and pork femur bones. Carli Teproff
2
: something that resembles a dog bone: such as
a
: a stylized representation of a dog bone
For the walls, [Art] McShane and business partner John Filipowicz did a classic herringbone pattern incorporating dog bones. Valerie Kellogg
b
: a chew, toy, or treat for dogs that is shaped to resemble a dog bone
a rawhide/rubber dog bone
The site also carries pet supplements, books about homeopathic healing and ways to give your pet a vegetarian lifestyle, and pet goodies like spinach dog bones Business Wire

Examples of dog bone in a Sentence

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.
The humans weren't ignored either, with dog bone–themed seat covers and rubber floor mats. Jason Barlow, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024 Ancient dog bone reveals when man's best friend migrated to North America Some of the treatments that Richter include red light laser therapy, sessions in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and therapy on a water treadmill. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of dog bone was in 1917

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Cite this Entry

“Dog bone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dog%20bone. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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