hoof
Hoof (noun) means the hard covering on the foot of animals such as horses, cattle, and deer. Example: “The horse's hoof needed to be trimmed by the farrier.”
How to use hoof
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe tough foot-covering of horses and similar animals; informally, to walk somewhere.
Word forms
hoofed past tense, hooves plural, hoofs plural, hoofs singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The horse's _____ needed to be trimmed by the farrier.
Etymology
From Old English hōf, an ancient Germanic word for the same body part, related to similar words across Indo-European languages for "hoof" or "claw."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for hoof
See all rhymes for hoof →Frequently asked questions
What does “hoof” mean?
The word “hoof” means the hard covering on the foot of animals such as horses, cattle, and deer. In plain terms, the tough foot-covering of horses and similar animals; informally, to walk somewhere.
How do you pronounce “hoof”?
“Hoof” is pronounced huuf (/hʊf/ in IPA).
How do you use “hoof” in a sentence?
Here is “hoof” used in a sentence: “The horse's hoof needed to be trimmed by the farrier.”
What part of speech is “hoof”?
Depending on how it is used, “hoof” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “hoof” come from?
The word “hoof” comes from Old English. From Old English hōf, an ancient Germanic word for the same body part, related to similar words across Indo-European languages for "hoof" or "claw.".
How many meanings does “hoof” have?
“Hoof” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the hard covering on the foot of animals such as horses, cattle, and deer.
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