means A large four-legged hoofed mammal, domesticated for riding, pulling, and carrying, known for its speed and strength.

from From Old English 'hors,' tracing back to Proto-Germanic 'hrussa' — cousins survive in Dutch 'ros' and German 'Ross.' The deeper Indo-European root is uncertain, possibly tied to a word meaning 'to run' or 'leap.' Curiously, English later borrowed the unrelated Latin-derived 'equine' and 'cavalry' for the same animal, leaving 'horse' as the homely native term beside its fancier foreign relatives.