sleigh

American  

[sley] / sleɪ /

noun

1. a light vehicle on runners, usually open and generally horse-drawn, used especially for transporting persons over snow or ice.

2. a sled.

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verb (used without object)

1. to travel or ride in a sleigh.

sleigh British  

/ sleɪ /

noun

1. another name for sledge 1

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verb

1. (intr) to travel by sleigh

Other Word Forms

• sleigher
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sleigh

1690–1700, < Dutch slee, variant of slede sled; cf. slide

Explanation

A sleigh is a large sled that's pulled by horses, or in the case of Santa Claus, by reindeer. A sleigh is usually big enough for at least two passengers to ride in. Most sleighs travel across snow or ice, sliding on smooth runners, and are pulled by one or more horses. In Britain, this is more often called a sledge, or sometimes a sled. In North America, a sled is much smaller than a sleigh, and it's used for fun rather than transportation. Sleigh comes from the Dutch slee.

Example Sentences

“Willing to trade a brand new 9 ft. Giant-Sized LED Santa’s Sleigh with Reindeers for 8ft. Santa, located in St. Louis, MO.,” one Facebook poster wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

The couple said tickets had sold so well that they would be returning to Norwich for a Christmas Day Fever, known as Sleigh Fever, in December.

From BBC • Sep. 28, 2024

There's an ugly sweater with an insulated pocket for Cheddar Bay Biscuits, a Cheddar Bay Sleigh Ugly Sweater, a Claw Hoodie, Critter Beanie, and a Red Lobster vintage-style snapback cap.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2023

David Sleigh, attorney for Mahvish-Jammeh, declined comment on Thursday.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2023

“All right. So here you can see us harpooning the whale. Oh, Jesus—here we go! Feel that tug! It’s awesome. Totally awesome. Okay, this is what they call a ‘Nantucket Sleigh Ride.’

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson