Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tarrier

/ˈtɑɹiɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: tar-ri-er
IPA: /ˈtɑɹiɚ/

7

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

3

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A layabout or loiterer; someone who tarries.

noun

A Roman Catholic of Northern Ireland or Scotland.

British usage; Derogatory; Slang

adj

comparative form of tarry: more tarry

noun

Obsolete form of terrier (“kind of dog”).

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"Wouldnae even offer Jock Stein – your greatest ever manager – a seat on the board 'cause he wasnae a Tarrier."
"It was the Irish “tarriers” working on the railroad that provided the context for the folk ballad that began […]"
"I then had the two best tarriers beneath the canopy; this poor crater is their daughter," and he patted the dog's head affectionately."
"Why I recollect, a bit ago, having a tarrier dog what got old and disagreeable, and was turned out on that account from a swell house in Belgravy. Well, he come into my hands, and nat'rally I put him on paunch, like the rest. Would he eat it? Not he. He had been used to his chicken, and his mutton chops, and his 'ashes: and he turned up his nose at anything commoner."
"Booth's and Doran's “tarriers” guarded the entrance to the town and drew first blood from a visiting dog: […]"

Etymology

The Roman Catholic slang variation is possibly derived from Saint Erasmus being labeled as a "tarrier of time" before torture and execution for his beliefs.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈtɑɹiɚ/
British English: /ˈtæɹi.ə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

tarriers (plural)

Homonyms

terrier (Mary–marry–merry merger)

Rhymes With

carrier barrier harrier farrier

Questions

How do you pronounce tarrier?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtɑɹiɚ/.
What does tarrier mean?: A layabout or loiterer; someone who tarries.
Where does tarrier come from?: The Roman Catholic slang variation is possibly derived from Saint Erasmus being labeled as a "tarrier of time" before torture and execution for his beliefs.

How to pronounce tarrier

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “tarrier”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈtɑɹiɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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