Horsepower
/ˈhɔːrsˌpaʊər/noun
A unit of power, originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the work of draft horses.
Did you know?James Watt popularized horsepower in the 18th century by estimating how much work a horse could do, turning a living animal into a marketing benchmark for machines.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ekwos
“Horse”
Old English
English
hors
“Horse”
Old English
English
pæðor
“Power, force, ability”
18th Century
English
horse power
“A comparison measure for the work output of engines versus horses”
Modern English
English
horsepower
“A standardized unit of power”