Labrador retriever

noun

Lab·​ra·​dor retriever ˈla-brə-ˌdȯr- How to pronounce Labrador retriever (audio)
: any of a breed of medium-sized strongly built retrievers largely developed in England from stock originating in Newfoundland and having a short dense black, yellow, or chocolate coat and a thick rounded tail

called also Lab, Labrador

Illustration of Labrador retriever

Illustration of labrador retriever

Examples of Labrador retriever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Both dogs in the video were tan colored, and the larger one resembled a Labrador retriever. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026 Bowie brought Shy home and introduced her to her yellow Labrador retriever named Bow, and kept a close eye on the foster pup. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026 Each crossbreed comes from a poodle bred with a cavalier King Charles spaniel, cocker spaniel, or Labrador retriever. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026 Now based in Charlotte, the Reams have welcomed three pit bull mixes to go along with a Labrador retriever, a Chihuahua and a French bulldog. — Tanya Edwards, USA Today, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for Labrador retriever

Word History

Etymology

Labrador, Newfoundland

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Labrador retriever was in 1845

Rhymes for Labrador retriever

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Browse Nearby Words

Labrador pine
Labrador retriever
Labrador Sea
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Cite this Entry

“Labrador retriever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Labrador%20retriever. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Labrador retriever

noun
Lab·​ra·​dor retriever ˌlab-rə-ˌdȯr- How to pronounce Labrador retriever (audio)
: any of a breed of strongly built retrievers having a broad head, a short dense black, yellow, or chocolate coat, and a thick rounded tail

More from Merriam-Webster on Labrador retriever

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Labrador retriever

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