equine

American  

[ee-kwahyn, ek-wahyn] / ˈi kwaɪn, ˈɛk waɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a horse or other member of the horse family.

   a bold, equine face.

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noun

1. Also called equid. a horse or other member of the horse family.

   Her draft horses and mules are some of the finest equines we’ve ever seen.

equine British  

/ ˈɛkwaɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a horse

2. of, relating to, or belonging to the family Equidae, which comprises horses, zebras, and asses

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equine Scientific  

/ ē′kwīn′,ĕk′wīn′ /

1. Characteristic of or resembling horses or related animals, such as donkeys.

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Other Word Forms

• equinity
  noun
• unequine
  adjective
• equinely
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of equine

First recorded in 1770–80; from Latin equīnus, equivalent to equ(us) “horse” + -īnus adjective suffix; see -ine ¹

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Explanation

Equine means having to do with horses. An equine saddle is one used for a horse, as opposed to one for a camel. An equine face is a horse face, and no, that's not a very nice thing to say. Equine is connected to words that refer to animals—bovine means having to do with cows, porcine pigs, feline cats, canine dogs, etc. Many young girls go through an equine phase, where they are obsessed with all things horse—books, dolls, images, and, last but not least, actual horseback riding.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

equine

There is even the European Horse Network, whose meetings with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen -- a well-known equine enthusiast -- were criticised by Corporate Europe Observatory for violating the commission's code of conduct.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Saulque and Kauk are part of an Indigenous-led coalition that has sought to help manage the horses that they call “family,” proposing to run a pack station and orchestrate equine therapy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

The 5th Circuit’s ruling neuters a law that Congress enacted in 2020 to impose nationwide standards on the horse racing industry after the existing state-by-state patchwork failed to prevent equine fatalities and corruption scandals.

From Slate ● Jun. 12, 2026

Worldwide, the number of equine clones born a year pales in comparison to traditionally-bred horses, but those clones—and their offspring—are starting to emerge in the top echelons of different equestrian disciplines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

In some areas of the United States the mosquito vector of western equine encephalitis has developed resistance.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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