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quarter horse

American  

noun

  1. one of a breed of strong horses developed in the U.S. for short-distance races, usually a quarter of a mile.

  2. a horse of this breed used in herding livestock.

quarter horse British  

noun

  1. a small powerful breed of horse, originally bred for sprinting in quarter-mile races in Virginia in the late 18th century

"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

Etymology

Origin of quarter horse

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

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.

Danger, a chestnut quarter horse with a white blaze down his face and a deep copper coat, was born the same summer Hunter first wore an Auburn jersey.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

But it’s not gravity pulling him toward the finish line: It’s the brute force of a quarter horse named Sirius.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2024

The track will host the All American Futurity - the richest quarter horse race - over the Labor Day weekend.

From Washington Times • Aug. 25, 2023

He won 194 thoroughbred races and 171 quarter horse races, according to Equibase.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 15, 2021

Grandpa was on Dancer, a muscular bay quarter horse stallion.

From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III

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.