terrier1

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtɛrɪə/

noun

  • 1a small dog of a breed originally used for turning out foxes and other burrowing animals from their earths.
  • used in similes to emphasize tenacity or eagerness: she would fight like a terrier for every penny
  • 2 (Terrier) British informal a member of the Territorial Army.

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French (chien) terrier 'earth (dog)', from medieval Latin terrarius, from Latin terra 'earth'