horseshoe

noun

horse·​shoe ˈhȯrs-ˌshü 

ˈhȯrsh-

1

: a usually U-shaped band of iron fitted and nailed to the rim of a horse's hoof to protect it

2

: something (such as a valley) shaped like a horseshoe

3

horseshoes plural : a game like quoits played with horseshoes or with horseshoe-shaped pieces of metal

horseshoe transitive verb

horseshoer

ˈhȯrs-ˌshü-ər 

ˈhȯrsh-

noun

Examples of horseshoe in a Sentence

The lake was a horseshoe surrounded by tall pine trees.

Recent Examples on the Web

Stonehenge’s horseshoe shape includes five trilithons, but the Great Trilithon was aligned with the solstice axis, so on winter solstice, the sun appeared to set between the two stones. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Aug. 2024

That has been the journey Citizens of Humanity and its horseshoe jean, though the barrel jean wasn’t a clear winner out of the gate. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 8 Aug. 2024

Excavations also revealed chimney bricks, pottery, horseshoes, horse bits and pieces of jewelry that likely came from officers’ cufflinks, per WAVY’s Kevin Cheek and Ashley Knight. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Aug. 2024

The horseshoe sign went up when the path was dedicated to Murphy in 1948. —Jeremy Duda, Axios, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing horseshoe

• horseshoe arch
• horseshoe crab

Kids Definition

horseshoe

noun

horse·​shoe ˈhȯrs-ˌshü 

ˈhȯrsh-

1

: a usually U-shaped band of iron shaped and nailed to the rim of a horse's hoof

2

: something shaped like a horseshoe

3

plural : a game in which horseshoes are tossed at a stake in the ground

horseshoe verb

horseshoer noun