dane
dane Lexical Profile
• noun
A native or inhabitant of Denmark, or a person of Danish descent.
"The physicist Niels Bohr is celebrated as one of the most brilliant Danes of the 20th century."
A large, powerful, and short-haired breed of domestic dog, formally known as the Great Dane, originating in Germany and known for its massive size and gentle temperament.
"They decided to adopt a rescue Dane, quickly realizing he was large enough to take up the entire sofa."
Word Nuance & Usage
Always capitalized as 'Dane' when referring to a person from Denmark. In casual contexts, it is frequently used as a shortened common noun for the Great Dane dog breed.
• Rhymes for dane
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'Dane', from Old English 'Dene' (plural) and Old Norse 'Danir'. Ultimately of obscure origin, possibly related to a Germanic root meaning 'flat land'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.