hoofbeat

[ hoo f-beet, hoof- ]

/ ˈhʊfˌbit, ˈhuf- /

the sound made by an animal's hoof in walking, running, etc.

Nearby words

First recorded in 1840–50; hoof + beat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

The hoofbeat came a third time, a little nearer, and then no more.
The Shades of the Wilderness|Joseph A. Altsheler

also hoof-beat, 1821, from hoof (n.) + beat (n.).