sheltie
sheltie Lexical Profile
sheltie Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small breed of herding dog originating from the Shetland Islands of Scotland, recognized by its long, thick coat and striking resemblance to a miniature Rough Collie.
"The family decided to adopt a sheltie because of the breed's intelligence, agility, and gentle nature with children."
Scottish A small, resilient pony belonging to a breed originating in the Shetland Islands of Scotland.
"In the 19th century, miners often used a sheltie to haul carts of coal through the narrow, low tunnels of the pits."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often capitalized as 'Sheltie', it most commonly refers to the Shetland Sheepdog in modern usage, though historically and in some Scottish contexts it was used to refer to the Shetland pony.
• Rhymes for sheltie
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived in the mid-19th century as a diminutive of 'Shetland' (referring to the Shetland Islands of Scotland) combined with the colloquial suffix '-ie'. Originally applied to the Shetland pony, and later adopted for the Shetland Sheepdog.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.