canter
canter Lexical Profile
canter Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A smooth, controlled, three-beat gait of a horse or other quadruped that is faster than a trot but slower than a full gallop.
"The instructor signaled for the riders to transition their horses from a brisk trot into a steady canter around the arena."
• verb
To move or ride at a smooth, three-beat gait between a trot and a gallop (of a horse or its rider).
"She cantered her mare effortlessly across the open meadow toward the wooden fence."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'canter' (a horse's gait) with its homophone 'cantor' (an official who leads liturgical singing in a synagogue or church).
• Rhymes for canter
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Introduced in the early 18th century as an abbreviation of 'Canterbury gallop' or 'Canterbury pace,' referring to the easy, unhurried gait supposedly adopted by medieval mounted pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.