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Dalmatian

/dælˈmeɪʃɪn/
/dælˈmeɪʃən/
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Other forms: Dalmatians

A Dalmatian is a distinctive black-and-white dog that's been associated with firefighters since the 19th century, when fire engines were carriages pulled by horses.

Even if you're unfamiliar with the famously spotted dogs in 101 Dalmatians, you'd probably recognize one of these pups if you saw it. Dalmatians are strong, medium-sized dogs whose white coats are marked with large black spots. Their name comes from the Dalmatia region of Croatia. Experts disagree on whether Dalmatians actually originated there — some say the breed is much older, going back to ancient Egypt.

Definitions of Dalmatian
  1. noun
    a native or inhabitant of a region of Croatia along the Adriatic Sea
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    type of:
    European
    a native or inhabitant of Europe
  2. adjective
    relating to a region of Croatia along the Adriatic Sea or its inhabitants
  3. noun
    one of a breed of medium to large dogs with a smooth, white coat and black or brown spots
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    types:
    liver-spotted dalmatian
    a brown-spotted dalmatian
    type of:
    Canis familiaris, dog, domestic dog
    a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
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