Akita Inu
/əˈkiːtə ˈiːnuː/noun
A large Japanese dog breed originally developed in the Akita region of northern Honshu.
Did you know?In Japanese tradition, dog statues and imagery—including Akitas—have been associated with loyalty and protection, while the Akita itself was once restricted to the Japanese nobility and military elite.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
Japanese
inu
“dog”
8th Century
Japanese
inu
“dog; the term appears in early Japanese written sources, including the Man'yōshū tradition”
Edo Period
Japanese
Ōdate-inu
“dogs associated with Ōdate and the northern region later known as Akita”
19th–20th Century
Japanese
Akita-inu
“Akita dog; the breed designation linking the animal to Akita Prefecture”
1931
Japanese
Akita Inu
“The Akita was designated a Natural Monument of Japan”
Modern English
English
Akita Inu
“A Japanese breed of large spitz-type dog”