Dalmatian

[ dal-mey-shuhn ]

/ dælˈmeɪ ʃən /

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adjective

of or relating to Dalmatia or its people.

noun

an inhabitant of Dalmatia, especially a member of the native Slavic-speaking people of Dalmatia.

Also called coach dog, Dalmatian dog . one of a breed of short-haired dogs having a white coat marked with black or brown spots.

a Romance language of Dalmatia, extinct since 1898.

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Origin of Dalmatian

First recorded in 1575–85; Dalmati(a) + -an

Words nearby Dalmatian

Dallis grass, Dall's sheep, dally, Dalmane, Dalmatia, Dalmatian, dalmatic, Dalriada, Dalrymple, dal segno, dalton

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Dalmatian in a sentence

That’s when Budweiser—perhaps one of the most iconic Super Bowl brands—aired its “wind never felt better” ad showcasing a Dalmatian, its ears flapping in the wind, to highlight that the company was now using wind power to help brew its beer.
We Watched Two Decades of Super Bowl Ads. Here’s What They Say About Climate Change.|Kyla Mandel|February 14, 2022|Time
Fatch, a Dalmatian, bit it in a random spot — leaving a mark — and returned it to me.
Can You Hop Across The Chessboard?|Zach Wissner-Gross|July 23, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Sometimes it is best to accept things at face value, and an English woman’s stubborn desire to skin Dalmatian puppies for fur coats presents a shining example.
‘Cruella’ is about a puppy killer. Has the origin-story trend gone far enough?|Sonia Rao|May 28, 2021|Washington Post
Now comes Cruella, starring Emma Stone as a young fashion designer who eventually develops an unhealthy obsession with Dalmatian furs.
The Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2021|Peter Allen Clark|May 12, 2021|Time

She seems all the more threatening when compared to the 1950s femininity of unassuming and newly married housewife Anita Dearly, who welcomes a large litter of Dalmatian puppies into her home.
Her crazy driving is a key element of Cruella de Vil’s evil. Here’s why.|Genevieve Carpio|April 2, 2021|Washington Post
But in the painting, because this is a Thomas Kinkade piece, Spotty looks like a sweet little Dalmatian.
The Drunken Downfall of Evangelical America's Favorite Painter|Zac Bissonnette|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Budweiser: Dalmatian Trains Clydesdale Year: 2008 Ad Meter Score: 8.73 Kellogg Grade: A Share Price Change: -0.99 percent 14.
20 Most Effective Super Bowl Ads (VIDEO)|Lauren Streib|January 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He remembered many pleasant functions that he had attended in years past at the Dalmatian Embassy in London.
High Noon|Anonymous
She was a secret agent—there was no doubt—working probably in the service of the Dalmatian government.
High Noon|Anonymous
At the present moment a well-known lady fancier is striving to obtain a Dalmatian mouse.
The Harmsworth Magazine, Vol. 1, 1898-1899, No. 6|Various
He was a Dalmatian, whose family had given a Pope and many illustrious prelates to the Church.
The Jesuits, 1534-1921|Thomas J. Campbell
My learning impressed them less than my skill in curing a pig according to a Dalmatian recipe.
The Belovd Vagabond|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for Dalmatian

Dalmatian

/ (dælˈmeɪʃən) /

noun

Also called (esp formerly): carriage dog, coach dog a large breed of dog having a short smooth white coat with black or (in liver-spotted dalmatians) brown spots

a native or inhabitant of Dalmatia

adjective

of or relating to Dalmatia or its inhabitants

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012