Mare
/mɛər/noun
A female horse, especially one that has given birth to a foal.
Did you know?In Old English, 'mare' referred not only to a female horse but also to a nightmare spirit believed to suffocate sleepers and cause terrifying dreams.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mér
“a female horse, from a root meaning 'to be swift' or 'to run'.”
Old English
Old English
mære
“a female horse, also associated with a malevolent spirit in folklore.”
Old High German
OHG
mara
“a nocturnal demon that torments people in their sleep.”
Middle English
Middle English
mare
“a term for both a female horse and a spirit causing nightmares.”
Modern English
English
mare
“a female horse, retaining the original meaning while losing its supernatural connotations.”