man bites dog

phrase

A situation that is worth reporting on because it is unusual or bizarre.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. journalismA situation that is worth reporting on because it is unusual or bizarre.

Origin

Shortened version of a phrase attributed to various 19th-century journalists: "When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news."

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish mand bider hund
  • mand bider hundsituation worth reporting

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with man bites dog

blogfogogprogOggbogcogsmogsogcloghoggmogtogvlogbullfrogsloggrogsnogvogagogpoggetroggloggsplog
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Cite this entry
APA

man bites dog. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20bites%20dog

MLA

“man bites dog.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20bites%20dog. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “man bites dog,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20bites%20dog.

Source: man bites dog on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.