Meanings
nounthree-dog night (plural three-dog nights)
plural three-dog nights · alternative three dog night
- datedidiomaticA very cold night.
Origin
An Inuit saying, used to indicate a low temperature during the night, and during very frigid temperatures, one would require three sled dogs in the igloo to keep oneself warm.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
three-dog night. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/three-dog%20night
MLA
“three-dog night.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/three-dog%20night. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “three-dog night,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/three-dog%20night.
Source: three-dog night on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.