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Synonyms

equestrian

American  
[ih-kwes-tree-uhn] / ɪˈkwɛs tri ən /

adjective

  1. of or relating to horseback riding or horseback riders.

    equestrian skill.

  2. mounted on horseback.

    equestrian knights.

  3. representing a person mounted on a horse.

    an equestrian statue.

  4. pertaining to or composed of knights or mounted warriors.

    an equestrian code of honor.

  5. of or relating to the ancient Roman equites.


noun

  1. a person who rides horses.

equestrian British  
/ ɪˈkwɛstrɪən /

adjective

  1. of or relating to horses and riding

  2. on horseback; mounted

  3. depicting or representing a person on horseback

    an equestrian statue

  4. of, relating to, or composed of Roman equites

  5. of, relating to, or composed of knights, esp the imperial free knights of the Holy Roman Empire

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a person skilled in riding and horsemanship

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of equestrian

1650–60; < Latin equestri ( s ) (compare eques horseman) + -an

Explanation

An equestrian is an expert horseback rider. If you only go riding for an hour while on vacation you aren't an equestrian, but the person leading the group and riding the flashy horse probably is. When you know that equus is the Latin word for "horse," the meaning of equestrian becomes clear. An equestrian is someone who is involved with horses. You can also use it as an adjective to describe anything having to do with horseback riding. An aspiring equestrian may have to give up socializing with friends in favor of equestrian duties like grooming horses.

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Vocabulary lists containing equestrian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Los Angeles City Council has approved an amendment meant to assuage concerns that a rodeo ban would unfairly block equestrian events of cultural significance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Now the equestrian world might be hitting a plateau: exact genetic replicas of successful horses and ponies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

AFP was given rare access to the competition, held at an equestrian complex in the capital Ashgabat and presided over by strongman president Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Gurbanguly's son.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

It is made up of a main residence, a guesthouse, pool house, and a five-stall barn complete with a tack room and a private equestrian arena.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

A hockey stadium, a swimming stadium, an equestrian stadium, an enormous and monolithic exhibition hall, a gymnasium, a Greek amphitheater, tennis courts, restaurants, and sprawling administrative buildings were all in various stages of completion.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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