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Dogs are prized for their talents and intelligence but aren't always given credit for their independence. Instead, tales of canine devotion and attachment are legendary; the old Lassie and Rin-Tin-Tin television series featured at least one heroic act of devotion per show. So we often hear people described as having "doglike devotion" or "doglike loyalty". But canine itself, unlike doglike, usually refers to four-legged creatures. Canine is not only an adjective but also a noun. Dogs and their relatives in the Canidae family—the wolves, jackals, foxes, and coyotes—are often called canines. And so are those two slightly pointed teeth a bit to the right and left of your front teeth.
Examples of canine in a Sentence
Veronica Fulton, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
According to Apolo, theobromine, an alkaloid in the cacao beans used to make chocolate, makes chocolate toxic to canines.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
The Know, The Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2024
So, what are the biggest dogs across the canine world?
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for canine 
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Dictionary Entries Near canine
Cite this Entry
“Canine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canine. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
canine
1 of 2 adjective
canine
2 of 2 nounAdjective
from Latin caninus "having to do with dogs," from canis "dog"
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