palfrey
- a riding horse, as distinguished from a war horse.
- a saddle horse particularly suitable for a woman.
Origin of palfrey
Examples from the Web for palfrey
Contemporary Examples
According to Palfrey, Microsoft has donated between $100,000 and $150,000 to the Berkman Center for 2010.
Historical Examples
His steeds are not "faultless monsters" like the Dauphin's palfrey in Henry the Fifth.
De Libris: Prose and VerseAustin Dobson
After supper, Mr. Palfrey opened the discussion on Marriage.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
And Enid went before him on her palfrey, marvelling what all this might mean.
King Arthur's KnightsHenry Gilbert
Her palfrey was dapple-grey and she herself shone as the summer sun.
Stories from the BalladsMary MacGregor
The trappings of her palfrey were of finest embroidery, her bridle was a chain of gold.
Stories from the BalladsMary MacGregor
palfrey
- archaic a light saddle horse, esp ridden by women
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for palfrey
n.
c.1200 (mid-12c. as a surname), "saddle horse for ordinary riding (opposed to a war horse), small horse for ladies," from Old French palefroi (11c.) and directly from Medieval Latin palafredus, altered by dissimilation from Late Latin paraveredus "post horse for outlying districts" (6c.), originally "extra horse," from Greek para "beside, secondary" (see para-) + Latin veredus "post horse; light, fast horse used by couriers," from Gaulish *voredos, from Celtic *wo-red- (cf. Welsh gorwydd "horse," Old Irish riadaim "I ride"), from PIE root *reidh- "to ride" (see ride (v.)). The Latin word passed to Old High German as pfarifrid, where in modern German it has become the usual word for "horse" (Pferd).