doglike
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All three words describe steady commitment, but they differ in tone and scope. Faithful is the broadest term — it can apply to a spouse, a friend, a pet, or even a copy of a document, and it emphasises keeping promises or staying true. Loyal stresses allegiance, often to a group, country, or person, and has a more active, choosing-to-stand-by quality. Devoted goes further into emotional warmth and personal dedication — it suggests deep affection, not just duty. Doglike is the most intense: it combines all three with an animal-like, uncritical, ever-present quality, as in 'doglike devotion to his aunt.' A loyal soldier follows orders; a devoted nurse cares deeply; a doglike companion never leaves your side.
Common collocations
Etymology
From dog (the domestic animal) + -like (suffix meaning 'resembling' or 'characteristic of'). The word dates back to the 1500s and was originally used to describe physical resemblance to dogs; the sense of faithful devotion came later as dogs became associated with loyalty and companionship.