horse

1 of 3

noun

ˈhȯrs How to pronounce horse (audio)
plural horses also horse
Synonyms of horsenext
1
a(1)
: a large solid-hoofed herbivorous ungulate mammal (Equus caballus, family Equidae, the horse family) domesticated since prehistoric times and used as a beast of burden, a draft animal, or for riding
(2)
: racehorse
lost a lot of money playing the horses
b
: a male horse
especially : stallion
c
: a recent or extinct animal (such as a zebra, ass, or onager) of the horse family
2
a
: jackstay
b
: a frame usually with legs used for supporting something (such as planks or staging) : sawhorse
c(1)
gymnastics : pommel horse
(2)
gymnastics : vaulting horse
3
horse plural : cavalry
4
geology : a mass of the same geologic character as the wall rock that occurs within a vein of useful mineral matter
5
: horsepower
a car with 275 horses
6
slang : heroin
7
: an athlete whose performance is consistently strong and reliable
a team with the horses to win the pennant
8
or H-O-R-S-E : a game in which players take turns attempting to duplicate successful basketball shots, a letter of the word "horse" is awarded for each missed attempt, and the first player to receive all five letters loses
horseless
ˈhȯr-sləs How to pronounce horse (audio)
adjective
horselike
ˈhȯrs-ˌlīk How to pronounce horse (audio)
adjective

Illustration of horse

Illustration of horse
  • 1 dock
  • 2 croup
  • 3 point of hip
  • 4 loin
  • 5 back
  • 6 withers
  • 7 mane
  • 8 crest
  • 9 poll
  • 10 forelock
  • 11 forehead
  • 12 muzzle
  • 13 cheek
  • 14 throatlatch
  • 15 neck
  • 16 shoulder
  • 17 chest
  • 18 forearm
  • 19 knee
  • 20 cannon
  • 21 fetlock
  • 22 hoof
  • 23 chestnut
  • 24 elbow
  • 25 barrel
  • 26 flank
  • 27 stifle
  • 28 pastern
  • 29 coronet
  • 30 hock
  • 31 gaskin
  • 32 tail
  • 33 thigh
  • 34 buttock

horse

2 of 3

verb

horsed; horsing

transitive verb

1
: to provide with a horse (see horse sense 1a(1))
horsing a coach
a horsed vehicle
2
: to move by brute force
sweating gunners horsed their pieces into action—Bruce Catton

intransitive verb

of a mare : to be in heat or estrus

horse

3 of 3

adjective

1
a
: of or relating to a horse (see horse sense 1a(1))
a horse farm
b
: hauled or powered by a horse
a horse barge
2
: large or coarse of its kind
3
: mounted on horses
horse guards
Phrases
from the horse's mouth
: from the original source

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of horse in a Sentence

Noun a car with 275 horses He lost a lot of money on the horses.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Some of the artifacts displayed there include nails, coffee cans, and bits of horse tack that are more than 100 years old. —Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2024 Since then, a couple thousand dog, cat, and horse clones have followed, and every year the waiting list grows longer. —Camille Bromley, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Also, in the case of multi-horse wagers, there can be a consolation payoff if nobody has a perfect ticket. —Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 24 Jan. 2023 While horse deaths nationwide have been on the decline -- from 790 racehorses in 2009 to 493 last year, according to the Jockey Club -- Santa Anita's numbers have fluctuated over the years. —Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN, 11 June 2019 See all Example Sentences for horse 

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

Middle English hors, from Old English; akin to Old High German hros horse

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of horse was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing horse

Dictionary Entries Near horse

hors de combat

horse

horse's ass

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horse. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

horse

1 of 2 noun
ˈhȯ(ə)rs How to pronounce horse (audio)
plural horses also horse
1
a
: a large hoofed grazing domestic mammal that is used to carry or draw loads and for riding
b
: a male horse : stallion
2
a
: a frame that supports something (as wood while being cut)
b
: a piece of gymnasium equipment used for balancing and swinging movements or for vaulting exercises
3
horse plural : cavalry
horse adjective

horse

2 of 2 verb
horsed; horsing
: to provide with a horse

Medical Definition

horse

noun
ˈhȯ(ə)rs How to pronounce horse (audio)
plural horses also horse
: a large solid-hoofed herbivorous mammal of the genus Equus (E. caballus) domesticated since prehistoric times

More from Merriam-Webster on horse

Nglish: Translation of horse for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of horse for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about horse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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