palfrey

[pawl-free]

noun, plural pal·freys.

a riding horse, as distinguished from a war horse.
a saddle horse particularly suitable for a woman.

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

Related formspal·freyed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for palfrey

Contemporary Examples of palfrey

According to Palfrey, Microsoft has donated between $100,000 and $150,000 to the Berkman Center for 2010.
Harvard vs. Steve Jobs
Emily Brill
July 5, 2010

Historical Examples of palfrey

His steeds are not "faultless monsters" like the Dauphin's palfrey in Henry the Fifth.
De Libris: Prose and Verse
Austin Dobson
After supper, Mr. Palfrey opened the discussion on Marriage.
The Foolish Lovers
St. John G. Ervine
And Enid went before him on her palfrey, marvelling what all this might mean.
King Arthur's Knights
Henry Gilbert
Her palfrey was dapple-grey and she herself shone as the summer sun.
Stories from the Ballads
Mary MacGregor
The trappings of her palfrey were of finest embroidery, her bridle was a chain of gold.
Stories from the Ballads
Mary MacGregor

British Dictionary definitions for palfrey

palfrey

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

Word Origin and History for palfrey

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).