The Standard Schnauzer (Mittelschnauzer) is a dog breed that originated in Germany in at least 14th–15th century, of Schnauzer breed type and progenitor of the Giant Schnauzer and Miniature Schnauzer. Initially it was called Wire-Haired Pinscher, while Schnauzer was adopted in 1879. The literal translation is 'snouter' from the German word for 'snout' and means colloquially 'moustache', or 'whiskered snout', because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout.