equine
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
of, relating to, or resembling a horse
-
of, relating to, or belonging to the family Equidae, which comprises horses, zebras, and asses
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of equine
First recorded in 1770–80; from Latin equīnus, equivalent to equ(us) “horse” + -īnus adjective suffix; see -ine 1
Explanation
Equine means having to do with horses. An equine saddle is one used for a horse, as opposed to one for a camel. An equine face is a horse face, and no, that's not a very nice thing to say. Equine is connected to words that refer to animals—bovine means having to do with cows, porcine pigs, feline cats, canine dogs, etc. Many young girls go through an equine phase, where they are obsessed with all things horse—books, dolls, images, and, last but not least, actual horseback riding.
Vocabulary lists containing equine
Horsin' Around
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A Lexical Zoo of Animal Adjectives
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Animal Adjectives
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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.
Saulque and Kauk are part of an Indigenous-led coalition that has sought to help manage the horses that they call “family,” proposing to run a pack station and orchestrate equine therapy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
After researching equine therapy, Maria learned a horse's heartbeat can sync with a human's, which she says helps to regulate her breathing.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
The 5th Circuit’s ruling neuters a law that Congress enacted in 2020 to impose nationwide standards on the horse racing industry after the existing state-by-state patchwork failed to prevent equine fatalities and corruption scandals.
From Slate ● Jun. 12, 2026
Before takeoff, shippers deal with complex veterinary clearances, quarantines and equine paperwork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
The thing has a pointed equine face with flaring nostrils and angry red eyes.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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.
