Alaunt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A breed of canine known for its strength and agility that was traditionally utilized for purposes such as hunting and guarding livestock
2. A robust type of dog that has a historical reputation for helping in herding and serving as a protector of property
3. A powerful dog breed recognized for its agility and historical use in tracking game and protecting animals

Etymology: The alaunt was a large hunting dog of medieval Europe, and its name points to a people rather than to any quality of the animal. The Alans were an Eastern Iranian nomadic group who moved west during the Migration Period, and the breed took its name from them, apparently because the dogs were associated with these horsemen. The name passed into Old French as "alans" or "alanz," and from there into English. The word's journey runs through Spain, where the Old Spanish "alán" is possibly the link between the tribe's name and the Old French form. Behind that, the source is thought to be a reconstructed Gothic form "*alans," reflecting how Germanic speakers referred to the group. The chain of borrowings means the dog's name carries the memory of a steppe people several languages removed from the medieval kennel.