pommel horse

American

noun

Gymnastics.

a padded, somewhat cylindrical floor-supported apparatus, similar to a vaulting horse but having two graspable pommels on top, used by men for hand-supported balancing, rotating, and swinging maneuvers.

pommel horse British

noun

gymnastics a type of vaulting horse fitted with two curved handles, used for swinging and vaulting exercises

"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 pommel horse

First recorded in 1905–10

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.

See Examples For:

pommel horse

McClenaghan, who triumphed on the pommel horse in Paris, said it was "a huge honour".

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2025

Stephen Nedoroscik, who helped the U.S. capture bronze in the Olympic gymnastics team event, earns another bronze in the individual pommel horse event.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2024

Rhys McClenaghan completed the gymnastics' 'Grand Slam' after winning gold on the pommel horse apparatus.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2024

The Rubik's Cube-solving 'pommel horse guy' stared deep into the pommel horse, as he quietly waited his turn.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2024

Train Ear and Jelly Bones hopped over turnstiles like gymnasts vaulting a pommel horse.

From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023