rat terrier

noun

1. a terrier of any of several breeds developed especially for catching rats, as the Manchester terrier.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rat terrier¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Phoebe Yung of Brooklyn adopted a pandemic pup, a rat terrier named Moose.

From Seattle Times

I just did the ancestry thing, and she’s mainly Australian shepherd, Chihuahua and rat terrier.

From New York Times

A miniature Chihuahua and rat terrier mix, Midge joined the Sheriff’s Office in early 2006 as a pup, from a litter owned by a department employee.

From Washington Times

They had corresponded for weeks on an online forum for rat terrier breeders and enthusiasts called "Ratter Chatter".

From BBC

"I absolutely knew I was walking into the killer’s home," recalled Strong, saying rat terriers ran around his feet as he approached her house.

From Fox News