ridgeback
ridgeback Lexical Profile
ridgeback Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A dog belonging to a breed characterized by a distinctive ridge of hair along its back that grows in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat, such as the Rhodesian Ridgeback or Thai Ridgeback.
"The farmer relied on his loyal ridgeback to protect the homestead from wild predators."
Any of several animals, such as certain breeds of swine or cattle, that possess a pronounced, raised ridge along their spine.
"The local pioneers bred a hardy type of ridgeback swine that was perfectly suited to the rough, mountainous terrain."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'ridge' and 'back', originally coined in the late 19th or early 20th century to describe the distinctive reverse-growing strip of hair on the back of certain dog breeds, most notably the Rhodesian Ridgeback native to southern Africa.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.