hot dog
/ˈhɒtˌdɒɡ/
noun
Origin
American English
hot + dog — Referencing the sausages, likely a satirical comparison to the rumored use of dog meat in sausages of the era.
Overview
Meaning Now
- A cooked sausage, traditionally a frankfurter or wiener, served in a sliced long bun, often with condiments like mustard, ketchup, or relish.
Language path
German → American English
Earliest form
hot dog
Earliest period
1890s
Journey
The term likely emerged from American college humor in the 1890s. While frequently attributed to cartoonists or vendors, there is no documented evidence linking the term to a specific individual; rather, it reflects a common, cynical public joke of the period that sausages might contain dog meat.
Evolution
- 1840s
dachshund sausage
“Sausage named after the long, thin dog breed.”
Introduced by German immigrants.
- 1890s
hot dog
“Colloquial term for the sausage in a bun.”
First recorded in college publications (e.g., Yale Record).
Connections
Word parts
hot
root
high temperature
dog
root
canine animal
Related across languages
German
Dackelwurst
dachshund sausage
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Related to hot dog
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.