Mastiff : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: Mastiff	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for Mastiff
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
mastiff n an old breed of powerful deep-chested smooth-coated dog used chiefly as a watchdog and guard dog
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Mastiff \Mas"tiff\, n.; pl. {Mastiffs}. [{Mastives} is irregular and unusual.] [Prob. fr. Prov. E. masty, adj., large, n., a great dog, prob. fr. mast fruit, and hence, lit., fattened with mast. There is perh. confusion with OF. mestif mongrel; cf. also F. m[83]tin mastiff, OF. mastin.] (Zo[94]l.) A breed of large dogs noted for strength and courage. There are various strains, differing in form and color, and characteristic of different countries. {Mastiff bat} (Zo[94]l.), any bat of the genus {Molossus}; so called because the face somewhat resembles that of a mastiff.