spaniel

noun

span·​iel ˈspan-yəl 

 also  ˈspa-nᵊl

1

: a member of any of several breeds of small or medium-sized mostly short-legged dogs usually having long wavy hair, feathered legs and tail, and large drooping ears

2

: a fawning servile person

Examples of spaniel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here are the show group winners: Sporting: Houston, a Clumber spaniel from Keyport, New Jersey. —Analis Bailey, Axios, 28 Nov. 2024

Vito beat a Welsh terrier, a giant schnauzer, a Clumber spaniel, a Lhasa apso, a Berger Picard and an Ibizan hound to earn the top spot. —Lex Harvey, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024

Other finalists included a giant schnauzer, a Clumber spaniel, a Lhasa apso, a Berger Picard and an Ibizan hound. —Simmone Shah, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024

Nick’s dog, an English Springer spaniel named Fiadh, remained on board Topel’s boat. —Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spaynel, spaniell, from Anglo-French espainnel, alteration of espaignol Spaniard, from Vulgar Latin *Hispaniolus, from Latin Hispania Spain

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spaniel

• American water spaniel
• Brittany spaniel
• Cavalier King Charles spaniel
• clumber spaniel
• cocker spaniel
• English cocker spaniel
• English springer spaniel
• English toy spaniel
• field spaniel
• Irish water spaniel
• King Charles spaniel
• springer spaniel
• Sussex spaniel
• water spaniel
• Welsh springer spaniel

Kids Definition

spaniel

noun

span·​iel ˈspan-yəl 

: a member of any of several breeds of small or medium-sized mostly short-legged dogs that usually have long wavy hair and large drooping ears