mare

¹ American  

[mahr-ey, mair-ee] / ˈmɑr eɪ, ˈmɛər i /

noun

Astronomy.

PLURAL

maria

1. any of the several large, dark plains on the moon and Mars: Galileo believed that the lunar features were seas when he first saw them through a telescope.

---

mare ² American  

[mair] / mɛər /

noun

1. a fully mature female horse or other equine animal.

---

mare ³ American  

[mair] / mɛər /

noun

Obsolete.

1. nightmare.

---

mare ¹ British  

/ mɛə /

noun

1. the adult female of a horse or zebra

---

mare ² British  

/ ˈmɑːreɪ, -rɪ /

noun

1. (capital when part of a name) any of a large number of huge dry plains on the surface of the moon, visible as dark markings and once thought to be seas: Mare Imbrium ( Sea of Showers )

2. a similar area on the surface of Mars, such as Mare Sirenum

---

mare Scientific  

/ mä′rā /

PLURAL

maria

1. Any of the large, low-lying dark areas on the Moon or on Mars or other inner planets. The lunar maria are believed to consist of volcanic basalts, and many are believed to be basins formed initially by large impacts with meteoroids and later filled with lava flows.

2. Compare terra

---

Etymology

Origin of mare¹

First recorded in 1760–70; from Latin: literally, “sea”

Origin of mare¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, mere, mare, maire “horse for riding; beast of burden,” Old English mere, myre “mare”; cognate with Old Frisian merie, Dutch merrie, German Mähre, Old Norse merr; the feminine equivalents to Old English mearh, Old High German marah, march, Old Norse marr, Irish marc, “horse, steed”; marshal

Origin of mare¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English mare “night goblin; incubus,” Old English mære, mare, mere “nightmare; monster that oppresses people in their sleep”; cognate with German Mahre, Old Norse mara; nightmare

Example Sentences

Haru Urara, the mare who won over horse racing enthusiasts in Japan and abroad with her perpetual losing streak, has died.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Cameron added that the mare of the first animal they lost "went back on her own to the area she was last with her foal".

From BBC

The energy shifted when Rose, the lead mare, entered the ring.

From Los Angeles Times

Constitution Hill fell for the second time in succession as star mare Lossiemouth landed the Aintree Hurdle, the feature race on day one of the Grand National meeting.

From BBC

“I have two mares at home, and I’m not sure what I’m doing because I don’t know what it’s going to be like in three or four years,” Sinatra said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• colt
• filly
• stallion