filly
Americannoun
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fillies
plural
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a young female horse.
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Informal. a girl or young woman.
noun
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a female horse or pony under the age of four
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informal a spirited girl or young woman
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of filly
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English fyly, from Old Norse fyla “female, foal”; see foal
Explanation
A filly is a young female horse. The male equivalent of a filly is a "colt." In most places, a filly is not yet four years old, although sometimes a female horse younger than five is considered a filly. Before she is a year old, a filly is also called a "foal," or a baby horse — and between the ages of one and two, she's also a "yearling." Around 1400, the word was spelled fyly, possibly from the Old Norse fylja, the feminine of foli, or "foal."
Vocabulary lists containing filly
Horsin' Around
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The Book of Unknown Americans
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Black Beauty
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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:
Baffert said the filly appeared OK but would undergo diagnostic tests to be sure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2026
It was the first time a filly has won this race coming off a maiden win in her last start.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025
The filly broke alertly and stayed near the front before going to the lead in midstretch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025
Other notable successes included the 2008 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with the brilliant unbeaten filly Zarkava.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2025
A daring she had never known filled Daenerys then, and she gave the filly her head.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Werth was primarily investing in fillies until he met trainer Danny Gargan at the Keeneland sales.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025
Saturday’s win helped both claim rare weekend sweeps of the Derby and Kentucky Oaks for fillies.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2024
The party usually gets started well before the main event: On Friday, a crowd watched a race for fillies, the Kentucky Oaks.
From New York Times ● May 4, 2024
Sixteen stakes are scheduled on Sundays with five set for Saturdays, including the $50,000 Seattle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies that kicks off the stakes schedule June 15.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 6, 2024
Then they crossed the quadrangle to inspect the colts and fillies, where glories still lay ahead.
From The History of Sir Richard Calmady A Romance by Lucas Malet
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.
