foal

Etymology

From Middle English fole, from Old English fola, from Proto-Germanic *fulô, from pre-Germanic *pl̥Hon-, from Proto-Indo-European *pōlH- ‘animal young’ (cognate with Saterland Frisian Foole, West Frisian fôle, foalle, Dutch veulen, German Low German Fohl, German Fohlen, Swedish fåle; compare also Ancient Greek πῶλος (pôlos), Latin pullus, Albanian pelë (“mare”), Old Armenian ուլ (ul, “kid, fawn”). Related to filly.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fəʊl/, /fɔʊl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /foʊl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊl

Noun

foal (plural foals)

1. A young horse or related animal, especially just after birth or less than a year old.
2. (mining, historical) A young boy who assisted the headsman by pushing or pulling the tub.

Verb

foal (third-person singular simple present foals, present participle foaling, simple past and past participle foaled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To give birth to (a foal); to bear offspring.
   • 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 22

     "Well," said John, "I don't believe there is a better pair of horses in the country, and right grieved I am to part with them, but they are not alike; the black one is the most perfect temper I ever knew; I suppose he has never known a hard word or a blow since he was foaled, and all his pleasure seems to be to do what you wish […]

See also

• colt
• filly
• horseling
• mare
• stallion

Anagrams

• AFOL, Olaf, loaf