Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A dog of a breed developed in China, probably from a Tibetan breed, having a long flowing coat, short legs, a square muzzle, and a tail that curls over the back.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Mandarin shīzi (gǒu), lion (dog), shih tzu, from Middle Chinese ʂr̩ tsz̩´, lion, from earlier *srij-tsəˀ, probably from Tocharian B ṣecake, lion (with the second syllable of the Tocharian word reanalyzed as the Old Chinese noun formative suffix *tsəˀ; see gyoza); akin to Tocharian A śiśäk, lion, of unknown origin.]

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Examples

  • Breeds include the Chihuahua, dachshund, Boston terrier, shih tzu, bichon frise, miniature pinscher and the xolo, a Mexican hairless dog.

    Ready for the Dog Days of Winter? Gwendolyn Bounds 2011

  • She had a sudden vision of the prowler arousing every golden retriever and shih tzu in the neighborhood as he escaped through a series of backyards.

    Flash Jayne Ann Krentz 1998

  • She had a sudden vision of the prowler arousing every golden retriever and shih tzu in the neighborhood as he escaped through a series of backyards.

    Flash Jayne Ann Krentz 1998

  • She had a sudden vision of the prowler arousing every golden retriever and shih tzu in the neighborhood as he escaped through a series of backyards.

    Flash Jayne Ann Krentz 1998

  • My neighbor’s shih tzu, having taken a dump on the sidewalk.

    Bring On the Night Jeri Smith-Ready 2010

  • My neighbor’s shih tzu, having taken a dump on the sidewalk.

    Bring On the Night Jeri Smith-Ready 2010

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