Kennel Comes From the Latin for Dog
A kennel is a shelter for a dog. Its root is *canis*, which also gives us canine and the Canary Islands.
A kennel is a shelter for a dog, or a boarding establishment for them. The word comes through Old North French from Latin *canis*, dog — the same root as *canine*, *kennel* and, at two removes, the Canary Islands, which the Romans named for their large dogs. The bird, and the colour, came afterwards.
- A dog shelter. *A garden kennel.*
- A boarding establishment. *Put the dog in kennels.*
- A breeding establishment. *A racing kennel.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | kennel | A wooden kennel. |
| Plural | kennels | Boarding kennels. |
| Verb | kennel | Kennel the hounds. |
| Related | canine | Canine behaviour. |
| American | doghouse | In the doghouse. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The dogs went into kennels.British: boarding.
- He is in the doghouse.American: in disgrace.
- The Kennel Club registers pedigrees.Founded in 1873.
Words from *canis*, dog
- Kennel — a dog's shelter
- Canine — of dogs
- Canary Islands — named for their dogs
- Cynic — from the Greek relative, *kyon*
- Chenille — French for caterpillar, literally little dog
From Old North French *kenil*, from Vulgar Latin *canile*, from Latin *canis*, dog.
Kennel or doghouse?
Kennel is British, doghouse American, though Americans also use kennel for boarding establishments.
Why are cynics named after dogs?
The Greek philosophical school was mocked as dog-like for its indifference to convention, and adopted the name.