- present tense form of wither (3rd person singular).
withers
Americannoun
idioms
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of withers
First recorded in 1535–45; origin uncertain
Explanation
Horse breeders and riders measure horses at the withers, or the shoulder blades, since it's a stable point that doesn't move, unlike the horse's head and neck. Horsey folks will know this word as denoting the high point on a horse's back, where the shoulder bones meet, and you can use it for that part of a dog's body as well. It's an old word in English, and it maintains a dignified silence about its true origins — and why, like scissors and pants, it's a plural denoting a single thing.
Vocabulary lists containing withers
Orbiting Jupiter
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The Red Pony
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Old Yeller
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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.
The horses are characterised by their "large size, long legs, well-developed musculature, slender and elegant head -- set on a long, straight neck -- expressive eyes, high withers and sturdy hooves," he added.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
It also withers behind a paywall, is manipulated by social media algorithms and hollowed out by covert corporate consolidation.
From Salon • May 26, 2025
As fine arts funding withers across sectors and Hollywood budgets shrink while studios retreat from local productions, workers are still recovering from lengthy strikes and the incipient threat of artificial intelligence.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2025
Eight times he has come to Baltimore with a horse fast enough to leave with the blanket of black-eyed Susans that are draped over the withers of the Preakness Stakes winner.
From New York Times • May 17, 2024
Dodger whinnied and danced around nervously under Akira, and she put a hand on his withers to calm him.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
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.
