colt

noun

ˈkōlt 

1

a

: foal

especially : a male foal

b

: a young male horse that is usually not castrated and has not attained an arbitrarily designated age (such as four years)

2

: a young untried person

Synonyms

• abecedarian
• apprentice
• babe
• beginner
• cub
• fledgling
• freshman
• greenhorn
• neophyte
• newbie
• newcomer
• novice
• novitiate
• punk
• recruit
• rook
• rookie
• tenderfoot
• tyro
• virgin

Examples of colt in a Sentence

a colt who looked to the team's more experienced players for advice

Recent Examples on the Web

The painstaking Pletcher was up to that task, putting the colt into a nearly 90-day layoff/back-to-school course of works, no racing, largely at Saratoga. —Guy Martin, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

The colt isn’t getting the respect the Santa Anita Derby winner normally gets and is listed at 20-1 on the morning line. —John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024

There is no need to take any chances with a colt whose breeding value jumped exponentially after winning the Kentucky Derby by the slimmest of noses. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024

In 2011, Repole’s colt Uncle Mo was a late scratch after coming down with a gastrointestinal infection. —Joe Drape, New York Times, 3 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Swedish dialect kult half-grown pig

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

colt

noun

ˈkōlt 

1

: foal entry 1

especially : a young male horse

2

: an inexperienced young person