horse
/hɔːrs/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*hrussan — horse
Overview
Meaning Now
- A large, solid-hoofed, herbivorous ungulate mammal (Equus ferus caballus) domesticated for riding, racing, and as a draft animal.
- A frame or structure, typically with four legs, used to support something.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
hors
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word originates from Germanic roots distinct from the Latin-derived 'equine'. In Old English, 'hors' referred specifically to the animal, while Latin borrowings were later introduced for more formal or scientific contexts.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*hrussan
“horse”
- Old English
hors
“horse”
- Middle English
hors
“horse”
- Modern English
horse
“horse”
Connections
Word parts
horse
root
horse
Related across languages
Old Saxon
hros
horse
Old High German
hros
horse
Old Norse
hross
horse
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.