Whippets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A breed of dog known for its slender build and speed, often used in racing or as a companion animal
2. A type of small, lightweight, and agile dog that excels in sprinting and hunting smaller game
3. A term also used colloquially to refer to nitrous oxide canisters when used for recreational purposes in certain contexts

Etymology: "Whippets" is the plural of "whippet," and the word is used for two unrelated things. The dog sense is probably from "whip" in its older meaning of moving quickly, with the diminutive suffix "-et" attached, so the name roughly suggests a small, quick animal. The nitrous oxide canister sense is a separate word altogether, taken from whipped cream, since these small metal cartridges are typically sold in the United States for making whipped cream. The two words share a spelling by coincidence, not by descent. A dog and a canister have nothing in common except that both were named after a quick, lively motion, one from the verb and one from the cream they help produce.

Synonyms: dogs, greyhounds