Great Dane

noun

: any of a breed of tall massive powerful smooth-coated dogs

Examples of Great Dane 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.
Without chainsaws, egrets, or the large Great Dane in the harlequin phase. — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Instead, Scooby will be played by a real-life Great Dane puppy. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026 This is done when a significant portion of a Great Dane’s floppy ear flaps (the pinnae) is cut away. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026 The Great Dane had fallen into the water, and his owner jumped in to save his pet, according to the department. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for Great Dane

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Great Dane was in 1774

Rhymes for Great Dane

See All Rhymes for Great Dane

Browse Nearby Words

great crested tern
Great Dane
great deal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Great Dane

noun
: any of a breed of very tall powerful smooth-coated dogs

More from Merriam-Webster on Great Dane

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Great Dane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All