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
1
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."
2
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 notesIn 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.
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Word forms
- Plural
- greyhounds
- Third person singular
- greyhounds
- Past tense
- greyhounded
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."
Rhymes for greyhound
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.
