miniature pinscher

American  

noun

1. one of a German breed of toy dogs resembling a smaller version of the Doberman pinscher, having a flat skull, a smooth coat, erect ears, and a docked tail, bred originally as a watchdog.

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Etymology

Origin of miniature pinscher

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

A portrait of her with a champion, Vera, a retired miniature pinscher or “min pin” who is now Calvacca’s pet, hangs over the fireplace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

It’s just her, a miniature pinscher chihuahua named Jedidiah and a pit bull named Bear.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2021

Pepito is a five-year-old miniature pinscher whose owners tied him up next to a lamp-post before calling the refuge.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2020

A handsomely dressed man was revealed to be a miniature pinscher.

From Washington Post • Feb. 28, 2019

The Nebraska suit was filed by the Justice Department in 2011 on behalf of Brittany Hamilton, whose four-pound miniature pinscher, Butch, would put his paws on her shoulders to quell her anxiety attacks.

From New York Times • Oct. 4, 2015