Dogbite

/ˈdɔɡˌbaɪt/ noun

Definition

A wound caused by a dog's teeth; the injury inflicted when a dog bites a person or animal.

Etymology

Compound of 'dog' and 'bite,' from Old English 'bitan' meaning to cut or seize with teeth. This is a direct, literal compound describing a specific injury.

Kelly Says

Interestingly, the fear of dogbites and rabies shaped medieval urban policy—cities actually hired dogcatchers to control populations of stray dogs, creating one of history's first animal control systems.

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