Mastiffs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large and powerful breed of dog known for its protective nature and loyalty to families
2. A giant canine breed characterized by a muscular build, gentle temperament, and strong guarding instincts
3. A robust and affectionate type of dog often utilized for protection, known for its imposing stature and devoted demeanor

Etymology: Mastiffs are the plural of "mastiff," so the story of the plural is the story of the singular. The word came into Middle English as "mastif" or "mastyf," but its ancestor is a Vulgar Latin adjective, "mansuetinus," meaning "tamed." That in turn grew from the Latin "mansuetus," also "tamed," so the dog's name began as a plain description of a domesticated animal rather than of its size or fierceness. The path to English ran through Old French, where the word became "mastin," modern "mâtin." Along the way English speakers reshaped it, and the result was an irregular derivation influenced by the Old French "mestif," a word for a mixed-breed animal. The tamed dog and the half-bred dog thus met in the English spelling, a small collision that the word's own history never fully resolved.