Irish water spaniel

noun

breed of large spaniels developed in Ireland having a heavy coat of liver-colored curls and a topknot of long curls and a nearly hairless tail

• Hypernyms: ↑water spaniel

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noun

1. usually capitalized I&W&S : a breed of large retrievers developed in Ireland by interbreeding various sporting dogs and the poodle and characterized by a heavy coat of liver-colored curls, a topknot of long curls, and a nearly hairless rattail

2. usually capitalized I & sometimes capitalized W&S : a dog of the Irish Water Spaniel breed

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one of an Irish breed of large water spaniels having a thick, curly, liver-colored coat, a topknot of long, loose curls, and a thin, tapering tail covered with short hair. See illus. under water spaniel.

[1880-85]

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(Irish) water spaniel

A (liver-coloured) spaniel for retrieving water fowl

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Main Entry: ↑spaniel

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Irish water spaniel,

any one of a breed of large hunting dogs having a dense coat of short, tightly curled, liver-colored hair, and curly top-knot.