steed

noun

ˈstēd 

plural steeds

literary or humorous

: a horse used or trained for riding : a spirited horse

The act opens with a princess on a white steed prancing about the ring.

—Howard G. Chua-Eoan

A 14th-century silk scroll elegantly depicts an elite … warrior brandishing a sword from his steed.

—Smithsonian

Think of him [Napoléon Bonaparte] in [Jacques-Louis] David's portrait astride a fiery steed while he points his lance at the Alps.

—Letitia Grierson

In front of a corral of horses, we meet our designated wranglers, who match us up with a user-friendly steed.

—Roberta Grant

—sometimes used figuratively for something (such as a bicycle or an automobile) being likened to a horse

… an offseason of building new cars or getting their trusty old steed out of the barn … came down to this one moment. Race time.

—Mark Kane

Once on your faithful steed, you can cycle pretty much anywhere alongside Amsterdam's famous canals …

—Helen Coffey

Synonyms

• equine
• horse
• nag

Examples of steed in a Sentence

a brave knight and his noble steed

the knight mounted his trusty steed

Recent Examples on the Web

With his conscience clear, Owen finally rode atop the wild steed, triumphantly emerging from a barn that burned down due to a gas leak. —Andy Swift, TVLine, 4 Nov. 2024

On humpback, you will be delivered to a nearby argan oil cooperative for breakfast and a tour before remounting your steed and taking in some startlingly serene views. —Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Oct. 2024

Even the valets, who get (limited) seat time in all manner of super steeds, are enamored. —Sean Evans, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2024

Fleming wore in the Thierry Mugler Spring/Summer 1992 Cow-Boys collection, framed by a flaming star, her Renaissance disco ball horse transformed into a fiery steed on two wheels. —Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stede, from Old English stēda stallion; akin to Old English stōd stud — more at stud

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

steed

noun

ˈstēd 

: horse entry 1 sense 1a

especially : a lively horse