Shiba Inu

noun

Shi·​ba Inu ˈshē-bä-ˈē-nü How to pronounce Shiba Inu (audio)
: any of a breed of small thick-coated agile dogs developed in Japan

Examples of Shiba Inu 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.
Real Simple tested the PrinceDeco Stretch Sofa Slipcover against an active household with two children and a 50-pound German shepherd/Shiba Inu mix, and reported the cover was still performing three months in. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 PrinceDeco survived a three-month real-household trial Editors at Real Simple tested the PrinceDeco Stretch Sofa Slipcover on an oversized couch in a home with two children and a 50-pound German shepherd/Shiba Inu mix. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026 Fittingly, Adidas chose a Shiba Inu to represent Japan. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 3 May 2026 Fans of the guessing game have offered thousands of theories, with guesses from Akita to Shiba Inu and various mixes. — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Shiba Inu

Word History

Etymology

Japanese shiba-inu, from shiba brushwood + inu dog

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Shiba Inu was in 1982

Browse Nearby Words

shibah
Shiba Inu
shibboleth
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shiba Inu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Shiba%20Inu. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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