foal

1 of 2

noun

ˈfōl 

: a young animal of the horse family

especially : one under one year

foal

2 of 2

verb

foaled; foaling; foals

intransitive verb

: to give birth to a foal

transitive verb

: to give birth to (a foal)

Phrases

in foal

: pregnant sense 1

Examples of foal in a Sentence

Verb

The mare will foal in June.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Spencer’s sold a burro, imported from Mexico at a cost of $85 for a young male and $180 for a female foal. —Mark Dent, thehustle.co, 6 Dec. 2024

Dorman first met the horse during a Make-A-Wish visit to Gainsborough Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, when Cody’s Wish was a five-month-old foal in 2018. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2024

Verb

If that were to happen, the thoroughbred breed would be gone in the United States, as thoroughbreds are foaled almost exclusively for racing. —John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024

Secretariat: Fifty years ago, Secretariat, foaled in 1970, became the ninth Triple Crown winner, setting new track records in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes while setting the world record of 2:24 on a 1 1/2 dirt track in the Belmont Stakes. —The Courier-Journal, 24 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fole, from Old English fola; akin to Latin pullus young of an animal, Greek pais child — more at few

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing foal

• in foal

Kids Definition

foal

1 of 2 noun

ˈfōl 

: a young animal of the horse family

especially : one under one year

foal

2 of 2 verb

: to give birth to a foal

Medical Definition

foal

1 of 2 noun

ˈfōl 

: the young of an animal of the horse family

especially : one less than one year old

foal

2 of 2 intransitive verb

: to give birth to a foal