Mastiff
/ˈmæs.tɪf/noun
A large, powerful breed of dog.
Did you know?The word entered English through Old French and Medieval Latin, and its ultimate origin is uncertain — a reminder that some of the oldest words survive like ghosts with their first meaning erased.
Etymological Timeline
Modern English
English
mastiff
“a large, powerful dog breed”
Middle English
English
mastif
“a large dog, often a guard or hunting dog”
Old French
French
mastin
“a large dog; mastiff”
Medieval Latin
Latin
mastinus
“a mastiff-type dog”
Late Latin
Latin
mansuetus
“tame, domesticated”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*man-
“to handle, tame”
Explore more surprising origins