cachorro

Cachorro is the Portuguese word for dog, used in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking regions to denote a domesticated canine. It is the standard everyday term for a dog and can be used for dogs of any breed and size. In informal speech, it may also be used affectionately for a young dog, but more specific terms such as filhote or cachorrinho are common when referring to a puppy.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the word appears in several compound terms, the best known being cachorro-quente, meaning hot dog. It also features in idiomatic expressions and can function as a nickname; in some cases it appears in surnames or place names.

The etymology of cachorro is not definitively established. It is a long-standing lexical item in Portuguese with uncertain roots and no single agreed origin. Its primary meaning remains canine, with regional and social variations in use and nuance.