Pekes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Small dog breed known for its pushed-in face and abundant fur; informal plural form referring to multiple dogs of this breed; a term used to describe several animals with similar physical traits
2. A group of petite companion dogs characterized by flat facial structure and thick coats; plural expression for these specific canine pets; general reference to several small, fluffy dogs
3. Multiple small canines distinguished by a squashed nose and abundant hair; casual plural used when mentioning more than one of these dogs; denotes a collection of tiny, furry animals with similar features

Etymology: "Pekes" is the plural of "peke," a clipped form of "Pekingese," the name of the small, flat-faced dog breed. The plural ending is simply the ordinary English "-s," added to a shortened name that people began using informally. The longer name points to the city of Peking, now usually spelled Beijing, the capital of China. Dogs of this type were kept at the Chinese imperial court, and the breed's name grew out of that connection. Over time, speakers shortened "Pekingese" to "peke," a casual nickname that spread widely in English.

Synonyms: pekineses, pugs, toy dogs, lapdogs, companions