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noun

bloodhound

BLUHD-hownd

Bloodhound (noun) means a large dog breed famous for its powerful sense of smell, often used to track missing people or fugitives. Example: “Police brought in a bloodhound to follow the suspect's scent.”

noun
1
A large dog breed famous for its powerful sense of smell, often used to track missing people or fugitives.
"Police brought in a bloodhound to follow the suspect's scent."
2
A person who is especially skilled at tracking down people or information.
"The journalist was a bloodhound for scandal."

How to use bloodhound

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA scent-tracking dog breed, or figuratively, a relentless investigator.

Common pairings
track like a bloodhound a bloodhound's nose

Word forms

bloodhounds plural

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Police brought in a _____ to follow the suspect's scent.

Etymology

From Middle English blodhound, a compound of "blood" and "hound" — likely referring to the dog's skill at tracking blood trails from wounded game.

Origin: Middle English

Related words

Rhymes for bloodhound

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Frequently asked questions

What does “bloodhound” mean?

The word “bloodhound” means a large dog breed famous for its powerful sense of smell, often used to track missing people or fugitives. In plain terms, a scent-tracking dog breed, or figuratively, a relentless investigator.

How do you pronounce “bloodhound”?

“Bloodhound” is pronounced BLUHD-hownd (/ˈblʌd.haʊnd/ in IPA).

How do you use “bloodhound” in a sentence?

Here is “bloodhound” used in a sentence: “Police brought in a bloodhound to follow the suspect's scent.”

What part of speech is “bloodhound”?

“Bloodhound” is a noun.

Where does the word “bloodhound” come from?

The word “bloodhound” comes from Middle English. From Middle English blodhound, a compound of "blood" and "hound" — likely referring to the dog's skill at tracking blood trails from wounded game.

How many meanings does “bloodhound” have?

“Bloodhound” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large dog breed famous for its powerful sense of smell, often used to track missing people or fugitives.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial