noun
Uncommon
mare
meh-uh
Mare (noun) means an adult female horse. Example: “The mare gave birth to a healthy foal in spring.”
noun
1
An adult female horse.
"The mare gave birth to a healthy foal in spring."
"He led the mare gently back into the stable."
"The farmer brushed the mare before saddling her for the long ride."
2
A frustrating, chaotic, or downright terrible experience.
"The journey home in that storm was an absolute mare."
"Trying to find parking at the festival was a complete mare."
"Moving house with three cats and a broken lift was a mare."
3
A large, dark, flat plain on the Moon or another planetary body, resembling a sea from a distance.
"The Sea of Tranquility is one of the most famous lunar maria."
How to use mare
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often a female horse; informally in British slang it can also mean a nightmare-ish, awful situation.
Common mistake
The informal "what a mare" sense is casual British slang and doesn't belong in formal writing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a brood mare
what a mare
lunar mare
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Word forms
- Plural
- mares, maria
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ gave birth to a healthy foal in spring.
Etymology
From Old English mīere ("female horse"), tracing back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root for "horse" — the same root behind the German Mähre and Welsh march.
Related words
Rhymes for mare
See all rhymes for mare →Frequently asked questions
What does “mare” mean?
The word “mare” means an adult female horse. In plain terms, most often a female horse; informally in British slang it can also mean a nightmare-ish, awful situation.
How do you pronounce “mare”?
“Mare” is pronounced meh-uh (/mɛɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “mare” in a sentence?
Here is “mare” used in a sentence: “The mare gave birth to a healthy foal in spring.”
What part of speech is “mare”?
“Mare” is a noun.
Where does the word “mare” come from?
The word “mare” comes from Old English. From Old English mīere ("female horse"), tracing back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root for "horse" — the same root behind the German Mähre and Welsh march.
Is “mare” a common word?
“Mare” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “mare” have?
“Mare” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an adult female horse.
What is the difference between a mare and a nightmare?
A mare in the informal sense means a frustrating, chaotic, or terrible experience, while a nightmare specifically refers to a distressing dream or, by extension, an ordeal. In casual British usage, 'having a mare' describes a situation going badly wrong, similar to but less intense than calling something a nightmare.
Why are dark plains on the Moon called mare?
Large, dark, flat plains on the Moon are called mare because they resemble seas when viewed from a distance, even though they contain no water. This naming reflects how early observers described the Moon's surface based on appearance alone.
Is mare used differently in British English?
Yes, in British informal English, mare is commonly used as slang for a frustrating or chaotic experience, separate from its literal meaning of an adult female horse. Context makes clear which sense is intended, since the slang usage typically appears in phrases like 'a right mare'.
