noun Uncommon

greyhound

GRAY-hownd

Greyhound (noun) means a slender, long-legged breed of dog bred for speed, used in hunting and racing. Example: “Greyhounds can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour.”

noun

A slender, long-legged breed of dog bred for speed, used in hunting and racing.

"Greyhounds can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour."

"They adopted a retired racing greyhound from the shelter."

A fast ocean-going ship, or (capitalized) a long-distance intercity bus operated by Greyhound Lines.

"They took a Greyhound bus across the country to save money."

How to use greyhound

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA fast, slim breed of racing dog, or the long-distance bus company named after it.

Common mistake

The name isn't actually about the color grey — greyhounds come in many colors — even though it looks that way.

Word forms

greyhounded past tense, greyhounds plural, Greyhounds plural, greyhounds singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour.

Etymology

From Old English grīghund. Despite appearances, the first part isn't related to the color "grey" — it likely comes from an Old Norse word for a female dog, later reshaped by folk etymology to look like "grey" + "hound."

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for greyhound

pound wound sound bound found round hound mound abound ground around rebound

See all rhymes for greyhound →

Frequently asked questions

What does “greyhound” mean?

The word “greyhound” means a slender, long-legged breed of dog bred for speed, used in hunting and racing. In plain terms, a fast, slim breed of racing dog, or the long-distance bus company named after it.

How do you pronounce “greyhound”?

“Greyhound” is pronounced GRAY-hownd (/ˈɡɹeɪhaʊnd/ in IPA).

How do you use “greyhound” in a sentence?

Here is “greyhound” used in a sentence: “Greyhounds can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour.”

What part of speech is “greyhound”?

“Greyhound” is a noun.

Where does the word “greyhound” come from?

The word “greyhound” comes from Old English. From Old English grīghund. Despite appearances, the first part isn't related to the color "grey" — it likely comes from an Old Norse word for a female dog, later reshaped by folk etymology to look like "grey" + "hound.".

Is “greyhound” a common word?

“Greyhound” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “greyhound” have?

“Greyhound” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a slender, long-legged breed of dog bred for speed, used in hunting and racing.