This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
palfrey
[ pawl-free ]
/ ˈpɔl fri /
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun, plural pal·freys.
a riding horse, as distinguished from a war horse.
a saddle horse particularly suitable for a woman.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of palfrey
1200–50; Middle English palefrei<Old French <Late Latin paraverēdus post horse for byways, probably literally, spare horse, equivalent to Greek para-para-1 + Latin verēdus fast breed of horse <Gaulish <Celtic *woreidos (>Welsh gorwydd horse, charger), equivalent to *wo- under (<*upo-;cf. hypo-) + *reid-, base of Old Irish réidid (he) rides, réid level, smooth, easy, Welsh rhwydd easy; see ride
OTHER WORDS FROM palfrey
palfreyed, adjectiveWords nearby palfrey
paletot, palette, palette knife, pale western cutworm, Paley, palfrey, Palgrave, pali, Pali Canon, palikar, palikinesia
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use palfrey in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for palfrey
palfrey
/ (ˈpɔːlfrɪ) /
noun
archaic a light saddle horse, esp ridden by women
Word Origin for palfrey
C12: from Old French palefrei, from Medieval Latin palafredus, from Late Latin paraverēdus, from Greek para beside + Latin verēdus light fleet horse, of Celtic origin
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