What does "canine" mean?
Any member of Caninae, the only living subfamily of Canidae.
Canine
/ˈkeɪnaɪn/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any member of Caninae, the only living subfamily of Canidae.
- Grammar: canine is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: canid, cuspid, amphibian, aquatic.
- Useful contrasts: felid, feline, molar.
- Usage evidence: I snapped the thread on my canine.
How to use "canine"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "canine" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "canine" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "canine" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "canine" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "canine" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "canid" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "canine", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any member of Caninae, the only living subfamily of Canidae.
"Whatever the case, the pair’s adventure certainly became famous in 2016, when a large dating program of fossils and artefacts from Chauvet Cave, which included the smear of charcoal discarded by the child, confirmed that the tracks constitute the oldest unequivocal evidence of a relationship between humans and canines."
- 2 any of various fissiped mammals with nonretractile claws and typically long muzzles wordnet
- 3 Any of certain extant canids regarded as similar to the dog or wolf (including coyotes, jackals, etc.) but distinguished from the vulpines, which are regarded as fox-like. formal
"The canine ran across the room to the open window, put his front paws on the sill and pointed his nose at the sidewalk below."
- 4 one of the four pointed conical teeth (two in each jaw) located between the incisors and the premolars wordnet
- 5 In heterodont mammals, the pointy tooth between the incisors and the premolars; a cuspid.
"He tried to push Kissu into his cage, but the cougar charged back out and sank his canines into Wilson's rump."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A king and a nine as a starting hand in Texas hold 'em due to phonetic similarity. slang
"You have been dealt King-9 unsuited ("canine") in your pocket."
Adjective
- 1 Of, or pertaining to, a dog or dogs. not-comparable
"Two canine animals in a time of dearth, may be truly said to struggle with each other which shall get food and live."
- 2 Dog-like. not-comparable
"In many respects she made me an admirable wife. Her affection for me was canine—positively."
- 3 Of or pertaining to mammalian teeth which are cuspids or fangs. not-comparable
"Then his upper lip may be seen to be raised, especially at the corners, so that his huge canine teeth are exhibited."
- 4 Of an appetite: depraved or inordinate; used to describe eating disorders. not-comparable, obsolete
Adjective
- 1 of or relating to or characteristic of members of the family Canidae wordnet
- 2 of or relating to a pointed conical tooth wordnet
Example
"I snapped the thread on my canine."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "canine"?
Common synonyms include: canid, cuspid, amphibian, aquatic, baby tooth, bandog.
How do you use "canine" in a sentence?
I snapped the thread on my canine.
How do you pronounce "canine"?
Pronounced /ˈkeɪnaɪn/.
Etymology
From Latin canīnus (“of dogs, dog-like”), from canis (“dog”). Compare French canin.