Dogleg
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 Something (such as a canyon or road) with a sharp bend or turn in it.; A configuration of stairs where a flight ascends to a half-landing before turning 180 degrees and continuing upwards. also, attributive
- 2 a golf hole with a sharp angle in the fairway wordnet
- 3 Something (such as a canyon or road) with a sharp bend or turn in it.; A sharp bend in the fairway before reaching a hole. also, attributive
- 4 angle that resembles the hind leg of a dog wordnet
- 5 A single intersection consisting of two opposing T-junctions in close proximity; an intersection with a staggered cross street. US, also, attributive
"The Q Street crossing of Wisconsin Avenue is an extreme example of such a location, the dog-leg itself being so long, about 150 feet, that in reality two T intersections exist."
- 1 To bend in the shape of the hind leg of a dog, especially to turn and then turn back sharply to the original direction. intransitive
"When the causeway doglegs and all of a sudden you spot sixteen roller coasters in the same place, it can take your breath away."
Example
More examples"The Q Street crossing of Wisconsin Avenue is an extreme example of such a location, the dog-leg itself being so long, about 150 feet, that in reality two T intersections exist."
Etymology
The noun is derived from dog + leg, referring to the shape of the hind leg of a dog. The verb is derived from the noun.
Related phrases
More for "dogleg"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.