Find the word definition

Crossword clues for samoyed

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Samoyed

Samoyed \Samoyed.\

  1. A breed of medium-sized sled dogs, originating in Siberia, of white or cream color.

  2. A Uralic language spoken by the Samoyed people.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Samoyed

Siberian Mongolian people, 1580s, from Russian samoyed (11c.), traditionally literally "self-eaters," i.e. "cannibals" (the first element cognate with same, the second with eat), but this might be Russian folk etymology of a native name:\n\nThe common Russian etymology of the name Samoyed, meaning "self-eater," deepened the Russians' already exotic image of far-northerners. The most probable linguistic origin of Samoyed, however, is from the Saami -- saam-edne, "land of the people"

[Andrei V. Golovnev and Gail Osherenko, "Siberian Survival: The Nenets and Their Story," Cornell University, 1999]

\nWhich would make the name a variant of Suomi "Finn." The native name is Nenets. As the name of a type of dog (once used as a working dog in the Arctic) it is attested from 1889.
Wiktionary
samoyed

n. (alternative case form of Samoyed English) (gloss: dog)

Wikipedia
Samoyed (dog)

The Samoyed ( or ; ) is a breed of dog that takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia. These nomadic reindeer herders bred the fluffy white dogs to help with the herding, and to pull sleds when they moved. An alternate name for the breed, especially in Europe, is Bjelkier.

Samoyed

Samoyed may refer to:

  • A member of the Samoyedic peoples, indigenous peoples of Siberia who speak the Samoyedic languages (e.g. the Enets, the Nenets, the Nganasans, and the Selkups)
    • The Samoyedic languages they speak, which are part of the Uralic family
  • Samoyed (dog), a Eurasian dog breed descended from hunting and herding dogs from Siberia

Usage examples of "samoyed".

Their efforts brought an end to the neglect, abuse, and suffering of more than a hundred Alaskan malamutes, golden retrievers, Norwegian elkhounds, Samoyeds, Siberian huskies, and dogs of numerous other breeds.

The same custom prevails among the Circassians and the Samoyeds of Siberia.

It not only chills one's enthusiasm, it positively shakes one's convictions when one hears that the things one has been brought up to believe as true are being very favourably spoken of by Buriats and Samoyeds and Kanakas.

It had been bad luck that she'd fallen into the hands of the Samoyeds, but the gyptians would be along soon to rescue her, and if they couldn't manage it, nothing would stop lorek Byrnison from getting her out.

I also meant to tell you, when you mentioned Samoyeds, that Sam's descended from animals aboard the Antarctican refugee ship you were told about when it departed the Lost Continent.

Your Samoyeds probably descend from the ones who weren't Appropriated.

Last winter had been a cold one even by Muscovite standards (or so the Samoyeds had assured him) and therefore the pelts were thicker – even more valuable – than usual.

They were quickly joined by Canadians, Siberians, Samoyeds, Lapps, and a host of others who craved a life of challenge that could be lived in a setting of wild natural beauty.

The door opened, and fierce looking pure white Samoyeds as big as lions lunged out and ran up to the fence.

Some other Eurasian societies, notably the Central Asian pastoralists and the reindeer-herding Lapps and Samoyeds of the Arctic, had domestic animals but little or no agriculture.