horse
UK[hɔːs]US[hɔːrs]
n
A large animal with hooves, a mane, and a tail, used for riding, racing, and carrying or pulling loads.
n
A piece of gymnastic equipment with a padded, oblong body and legs, used for vaulting.
Etymology
The word 'horse' descends directly from the Old English 'hors', a term of Germanic origin. It is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as Old Norse 'hross' and Dutch 'ros'. While its ultimate Proto-Indo-European root is uncertain, it is a primary, unanalyzable term for the animal, distinct from the Latin 'equus' and Greek 'hippos'. Its meaning has remained remarkably stable for over a thousand years, referring specifically to the domesticated equine mammal.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It is a Germanic root word, functioning as a base noun.
Examples
She learned to ride a horse at a very young age.
The farmer used a horse to pull the plow through the field.
He fell from the pommel horse during the gymnastics competition.