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Definition of palfrey - 4 dictionary results
pal⋅frey
[pawl-free] 
–noun, plural -freys.
| 1. | a riding horse, as distinguished from a war horse. |
| 2. | a saddle horse particularly suitable for a woman. |
Origin:
1200–50; ME palefrei < OF < LL paraverēdus post horse for byways, prob. lit., spare horse, equiv. to Gk para- para- 1 + L verēdus fast breed of horse < Gaulish < Celtic *woreidos (> Welsh gorwydd horse, charger), equiv. to *wo- under (< *upo-; cf. hypo- ) + *reid-, base of OIr réidid (he) rides, réid level, smooth, easy, Welsh rhwydd easy; see ride
1200–50; ME palefrei < OF < LL paraverēdus post horse for byways, prob. lit., spare horse, equiv. to Gk para- para- 1 + L verēdus fast breed of horse < Gaulish < Celtic *woreidos (> Welsh gorwydd horse, charger), equiv. to *wo- under (< *upo-; cf. hypo- ) + *reid-, base of OIr réidid (he) rides, réid level, smooth, easy, Welsh rhwydd easy; see ride
Related forms:
palfreyed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To palfrey
| pal·frey (pôl'frē) n. pl. pal·freys Archaic A saddle horse, especially one for a woman to ride. [Middle English, from Old French palefrei, from Medieval Latin palafrēdus, alteration of Late Latin paraverēdus, post horse for secondary routes, extra horse : Greek para, extra, beyond; see per1 in Indo-European roots + Latin verēdus, post horse (of Celtic origin; see reidh- in Indo-European roots).] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Palfrey
Pal"frey\, n. [OE. palefrai, OF. palefrei, F. palefroi, LL. palafredus, parafredus, from L. paraveredus a horse for extraordinary occasions, an extra post horse; Gr. ? along, beside + L. veredus a post horse.]1. A saddle horse for the road, or for state occasions, as distinguished from a war horse. --Chaucer. 2. A small saddle horse for ladies. --Spenser. Call the host and bid him bring Charger and palfrey. --Tennyson.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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palfrey
1148, "saddle horse for ordinary riding (opposed to a war horse), small horse for ladies," from O.Fr. palefrei (11c.), from M.L. palafredus, alt. by dissimilation from L.L. paraveredus "post horse for outlying districts" (6c.), originally "extra horse," from Gk. para "beside, secondary" + L. veredus "post horse; light, fast horse used by couriers," from Gaul. *voredos (cf. Welsh gorwydd "horse," O.Ir. riadaim "I ride"). The L. word passed to O.H.G. as pfarifrid, where in modern Ger. it has become the usual word for "horse" (pferd).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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