Illustration of hoof
- 1 2 3 4 parts of wall
- 1 toe
- 2 side walls
- 3 quarters
- 4 buttresses
- 5 bulbs
- 6 sole
- 7 frog
1
: a curved covering of horn that protects the front of or encloses the ends of the digits of an ungulate mammal and that corresponds to a nail or claw
2
: a hoofed foot especially of a horse
Synonyms
Examples of hoof in a Sentence
Verb
The cast was hoofing on the stage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kaitlin Gates, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2024
Keep pets away While javelinas may look friendly, their sharp teeth and hooves can pose a risk to both humans and pets.
—Helen Rummel, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024
Siren Goes Off, Vulture, 16 June 2023
The usefulness of it while hoofing away from predators (or toward food) may have driven natural selection, the researchers say.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for hoof 
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Noun
Choose from pink or white deer, each of which comes adorned with red scarves and black hooves.
—Kaitlin Gates, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2024
Keep pets away While javelinas may look friendly, their sharp teeth and hooves can pose a risk to both humans and pets.
—Helen Rummel, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024
Verb
Teams hustle to overwhelm an opponent’s base before a rival group claims theirs; as the contestants hoof through dense foliage, a drone shot soars over to capture the frenetic scramble.
—Siren Goes Off, Vulture, 16 June 2023
The usefulness of it while hoofing away from predators (or toward food) may have driven natural selection, the researchers say.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for hoof
Dictionary Entries Near hoof
Cite this Entry
“Hoof.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoof. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plural hooves
ˈhu̇vz 
ˈhüvz
or hoofs
1
: a covering of horn that protects the front of or encloses the ends of the toes of some mammals (as horses, oxen, and pigs) and that corresponds to a nail or claw
2
: a hoofed foot especially of a horse
hoofed
adjective
ˈhu̇ft
ˈhüft
ˈhu̇vd
ˈhüvd
hoof
2 of 2 verb1
: to walk especially with haste
hoofed it to class
2
: to dance especially as a performer
watched the cast hoofing on the stage
hoofer
noun
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