horse

horse · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱers-
2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱr̥sós?
3. Proto-Indo-European*h₁wers-?
4. Proto-Indo-European*wers-
5. Proto-Indo-European*wérsēn
6. Proto-Indo-Iranian*(w)ŕ̥šā
7. Proto-Iranian*(w)ŕ̥šāder.?
8. Proto-Germanic*hrussą
9. Proto-West Germanic*hross
10. Old Englishhors
11. Middle Englishhors
12. English todayhorse

From Middle English hors, horse, ors, from Old English hors (“horse”), from Proto-West Germanic *hors, *hross, from Proto-Germanic *hrussą (“horse”), most likely from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós (“vehicle”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”). Doublet of car and carrus. Cognates Cognate with Scots horse (“horse”), West Frisian hoars (“horse”), Cimbrian ross (“horse”), Dutch hors, ros (“horse”), German Ross, Roß (“horse”), Danish and Norwegian Nynorsk hors (“horse, mare”), Faroese hors, ross (“horse”), Icelandic hross (“horse”), Swedish russ (“horse”); also Cornish karr (“car”), Welsh car (“car; cart, wagon”), Latin currus (“car, chariot; wagon, wain”), Ancient Greek ἐπίκουρος (epíkouros, “aiding, assisting; defending; ally, helper; hireling”), Tocharian A kursär (“vehicle; mile”), Tocharian B kwarsär (“course; path”).

horse · verb²

1. Old English · inherited fromhorsian“to horse, provide with horses”
2. Middle English · inherited fromhorsen
3. English todayhorse

From Middle English horsen, from Old English horsian (“to horse, provide with horses”) and ġehorsian (“to horse, set or mount on a horse, supply with horses”), from the noun (see above).

horse · noun³

Unknown; probably originally criminals' cant based on the initial letter of heroin and horse.

HORSE · noun⁴

Initialism of Texas hold 'em, Omaha eight or better, razz, seven-card stud, and seven card stud eight or better.

Words from the same roots