pit bull terrier
noun /ˌpɪt bʊl ˈteriə(r)/
/ˌpɪt bʊl ˈteriər/
(also pit bull)
- a small, strong, aggressive dog, sometimes used in dog fights where people bet on which dog will winCultureIn the 1980s a number of people were attacked and badly injured by pit bull terriers and other dogs. As a result a law was passed in Britain in 1991, the Dangerous Dogs Act, which made it illegal to own a pit bull terrier and some other types of dog. The Act was changed in 1997 so these dogs can now be kept with special permission.