canine (English)
Where does "canine" come from?
The word canine arrives in English from the Latin canīnus, which itself is derived from canis, meaning dog. While it serves to describe traits or biology relating to dogs, it also expanded to identify the pointed teeth found in many mammals. The term remains closely linked to its French cognate, canin, preserving its long history of denoting dog-like qualities.
Full etymology tree
- canine (English), 'Of, or pertaining to, a dog or dogs.'
- derived canīnus (Latin), 'canine; of or pertaining to a dog.'
- derived canis (Latin), 'a dog, a hound (animal)'
- inherited canēs (Latin), 'alternative form of canis (“dog”)'
- inherited *ḱwón-s (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *ḱwṓ (Proto-Indo-European), 'dog'
- inherited *ḱun- (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *ḱwón-s (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited canēs (Latin), 'alternative form of canis (“dog”)'
- derived canis (Latin), 'a dog, a hound (animal)'
- suffix -īnus (Latin), 'Of or pertaining to; -ine; Can indicate a relationship of position, possession, or origin.'
- derived canīnus (Latin), 'canine; of or pertaining to a dog.'
Direct ancestors
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris