Chihuahua
/tʃiˈwɑːwə/noun
A small dog breed originally developed in Mexico.
Did you know?The breed’s name is borrowed from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, whose place-name origin is debated and may come from an indigenous language rather than Spanish.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian era
Indigenous
Chihuahua
“A place-name in northern Mexico, likely from an indigenous source”
16th Century
Spanish
Chihuahua
“Adopted by Spanish speakers as a regional place-name”
19th Century
Spanish
Chihuahua
“Name of the Mexican state and its capital city”
Late 19th Century
English
chihuahua
“Borrowed into English as the name of the small dog breed associated with Mexico”