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Pavlov's dog. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
Pavlov's dog, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
Pavlov's dog in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
In reference to the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov's work on classical conditioning: he discovered that dogs could be conditioned to salivate when a bell was rung, if it had previously been rung whenever food was given.
Noun
Pavlov's dog (plural Pavlov's dogs)
- (often attributive) A person who reacts instinctively to a stimulus, without thought or consideration.