equestrian
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to horseback riding or horseback riders.
equestrian skill.
-
mounted on horseback.
equestrian knights.
-
representing a person mounted on a horse.
an equestrian statue.
-
pertaining to or composed of knights or mounted warriors.
an equestrian code of honor.
-
of or relating to the ancient Roman equites.
noun
-
equestrians
plural
adjective
-
of or relating to horses and riding
-
on horseback; mounted
-
depicting or representing a person on horseback
an equestrian statue
-
of, relating to, or composed of Roman equites
-
of, relating to, or composed of knights, esp the imperial free knights of the Holy Roman Empire
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing equestrian
Horsin' Around
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Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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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.
See Examples For:
On Monday, it said it would open space to house 1,500 migrants in a parking lot, a playing field and an equestrian center.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The council has authored other motions to limit e-bikes elsewhere, including a ban for e-bikes on equestrian and hiking trails.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The 12-acre, “majestically landscaped” equestrian estate sits on a 194-acre community of horse farms.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Horses have been evacuated from an equestrian centre near Paris as the Fontainebleau wildfire continues to rage.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
It wasn’t like we had an equestrian program or anything.
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
Local volunteers have since helped transform the track into a 20+ mile long path for walkers, cyclists, wheelchair users and mobility scooters, with some sections also open to equestrians.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
One horse sported wear on its teeth suggesting it was controlled by a bit typically used by elite equestrians in the Middle Ages.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 21, 2024
Mr. Russell is the patriarch of an extended family of equestrians.
From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2023
Dozens of floats decorated with bright garden-fresh flowers, marching bands and cavalcades of equestrians will proceed along the 5½-mile route through Pasadena.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 27, 2022
“Now!” cried the Wart With a blood-curdling beat of iron hoofs the mighty equestrians came together.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
