Ridgeback
/ˈrɪdʒˌbæk/noun
A dog breed characterized by a ridge of hair growing in the opposite direction along its back.
Did you know?Ridgeback is a transparent English compound, not an ancient spell-word, but its second element back goes all the way to Old English bæc, while ridge traces to Old English hrycg, both ordinary body-part words that became a breed name.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hrycg
“ridge, spine, raised strip”
Old English
OE
bæc
“back, rear of the body”
Middle English
ME
rigge
“ridge, back, spine”
Modern English
English
ridge back
“a back with a raised ridge; later, a dog breed name”
20th Century
English
ridgeback
“a breed name for dogs with a distinctive ridge of hair along the back”