Jennet
/ˈdʒɛnɪt/noun
A small horse or pony, especially a Spanish or Spanish-bred riding horse.
Did you know?Jennet ultimately comes from a personal name, once tied to a famous Spanish horse breed, showing how prestige can turn a proper name into an animal word.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Spanish
Spanish
jinete
“horseman; rider”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
zanātī
“of the Zanāta, a Berber tribe associated with horsemen and horses”
Old French
Old French
genet
“a small Spanish horse; jennet”
14th Century
English
jennet
“a small Spanish horse or pony”
Modern English
English
jennet
“a small horse or pony, especially a Spanish-bred one”