verb

whinny

WIH-nee

Whinny (verb) means of a horse, to make a soft, gentle neighing sound. Example: “The mare whinnied softly as her foal approached.”

verb

Of a horse, to make a soft, gentle neighing sound.

"The mare whinnied softly as her foal approached."

noun

A soft neighing sound made by a horse.

"A quiet whinny came from the stable as we walked past."

How to use whinny

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe gentle sound a horse makes, quieter than a full neigh.

whinnied past tense, whinnies plural, whinnies singular

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Can you complete this real example?

A quiet _____ came from the stable as we walked past.

From Middle English whinien, related to whine — both describe a drawn-out vocal sound.

Origin: Middle English

neigh nicker whicker

thief neigh nicker whicker

Ginny ninny tinny vinny Jinny skinny

What does “whinny” mean?

The word “whinny” means of a horse, to make a soft, gentle neighing sound. In plain terms, the gentle sound a horse makes, quieter than a full neigh.

How do you pronounce “whinny”?

“Whinny” is pronounced WIH-nee (/ˈwɪni/ in IPA).

How do you use “whinny” in a sentence?

Here is “whinny” used in a sentence: “A quiet whinny came from the stable as we walked past.”

What part of speech is “whinny”?

Depending on how it is used, “whinny” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “whinny” come from?

The word “whinny” comes from Middle English. From Middle English whinien, related to whine — both describe a drawn-out vocal sound.

How many meanings does “whinny” have?

“Whinny” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: of a horse, to make a soft, gentle neighing sound.

thief neigh nicker whicker