Rhodesian ridgeback

noun

1. one of a South African breed of medium-sized muscular hunting dogs having a short, glossy, red or tan coat, with a characteristic ridge of hair along the spine consisting of parallel crowns of hair growing in the opposite direction of the rest of the coat, originally developed for hunting lions but now used primarily as a guard dog.

Rhodesian ridgeback

/ ˈrɪdʒˌbæk /

noun

1. a large short-haired breed of dog characterized by a ridge of hair growing along the back in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. It was originally a hunting dog from South Africa

Word History and Origins

Origin of Rhodesian ridgeback¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

For the most recent study, they focused on German short/wirehaired pointer, mastiff, Newfoundland, Rhodesian ridgeback and Siberian husky.

From Science Daily

One of their dogs, a Rhodesian ridgeback named Finn, has separation anxiety.

From Seattle Times

There people comfort her and she finds emotional support from Freddie, her friend’s Rhodesian ridgeback.

From Washington Post

Similarly, the Siberian husky, while carrying DNA from modern European dogs, also contains DNA from an ice age group from Russia, while the Rhodesian ridgeback has some ancestry from another ice age group.

From The Guardian

That means if the El Cortez rug was Wayne Newton’s Rhodesian ridgeback dog, it would be 82.

From Washington Times