Dogmen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of human beings, often in folklore, considered to possess canine characteristics or qualities
2. Individuals, sometimes depicted in stories or myths, that combine human traits with those of dogs
3. Beings represented in various cultures as having both human and dog-like features, typically in a supernatural context

Etymology: "Dogmen" is simply the plural of "dogman," a compound of "dog" and the suffix "-man," which marks someone who is an expert in, employed in, or takes part in an activity. The creatures the word names, humans with canine traits in stories and myths, are a figurative use of that same compound rather than a separate coinage. The compound has a second, quite different origin. In the sense of a crane's lifting hook or clamp, "dog" is an older technical term, and the "dogman" who worked it was the person who rode on the load as it was hoisted, guiding it into place. That practical job gave the word its identity long before it was applied to anything fanciful.

Synonyms: dog handlers, dog trainers, dog catchers