A type of gun dog with a silky coat and drooping ears, bred for flushing and retrieving game.
From Old French 'espaigneul' meaning 'Spanish dog,' ultimately from 'Hispania' (Spain). The breed was originally associated with Spain, though the modern varieties were largely developed in England. The word entered English in the 14th century through the Norman French court's hunting terminology.
Spaniels were originally called 'Spanish dogs' not because they came from Spain, but because they were thought to embody the stereotypical Spanish temperament - passionate, loyal, and somewhat submissive. Shakespeare used 'spaniel-like' as a metaphor for fawning behavior, showing how the dog's eager-to-please nature became a cultural reference point.
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