Definition of "springer" [spring•er]

• A springer spaniel. (noun)
• Western U.S. A cow about to give birth. (noun)
• Architecture The bottom stone of an arch resting on the impost. (noun)
• Architecture The point or place where the curve of an arch or vault begins. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "In all fairness ... my springer is not the water dog my yellow lab was."
• "If you're not hunting, the springer is equally happy taking part in any other activities you enjoy."
• "Among owners of springer spaniels the phenomenon is widely recognized; they call it "springer rage," only slightly tongue-in-cheek."