whippet

noun

whip·​pet ˈ(h)wi-pət How to pronounce whippet (audio)
: any of a breed of small swift slender dogs used for coursing small game and racing

Examples of whippet 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.
In the montage that played, there were no hero shots of Ben as a whippet free safety for Harvard. — Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025 Known as whippets, these canisters have been used as a recreational drug, especially among youths. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026 Wow, so there’s horse racing, greyhound racing, and apparently whippet racing. — Alice Burton, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026 It's become a popular party and rave drug, distributed in balloons or canisters, where they're called whippets. — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whippet

Word History

Etymology

probably from whip entry 1

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whippet was in 1610

Rhymes for whippet

See All Rhymes for whippet

Browse Nearby Words

whippertail
whippet
whippiness
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Cite this Entry

“Whippet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whippet. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

whippet

noun
whip·​pet ˈhwip-ət How to pronounce whippet (audio)
ˈwip-
: any of a breed of small swift slender dogs that are often used for hunting small animals or racing

More from Merriam-Webster on whippet

Nglish: Translation of whippet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whippet

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