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steed. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
steed, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
steed in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
steed you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English stede (“steed”), from Old English stēda (“stallion, stud”), from Proto-West Germanic *stōdijō; (compare Old Dutch stoti (“herd of horses”), Old High German stuot (“herd of horses”)).
Pronunciation
Noun
steed (plural steeds)
- (archaic, poetic) A stallion, especially in the sense of mount.
1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: Richard Field, , →OCLC:The studded bridle on a ragged bough
Nimbly she fastens: -- O, how quick is love! --
The steed is stalled up, and even now
To tie the rider she begins to prove:
Backward she push'd him, as she would be thrust,
And govern'd him in strength, though not in lust.
1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 7:The torch-eyed ſavage, with growl tremendous, riſing up, diſlocated at one blow the arched neck of Sadit's Arabian ſteed, and brought the unfortunate omrah to the duſt, expiring between his extended claws.
- (cycling, slang, humorous) A bicycle.
- silent steed
1887 July 26, Thomas Stevens, “Bicycle chat for boys”, in Harper's Young People, volume VIII, number 404, page 614:In the green lanes of Merrie England the bicycle rider in his natty uniform, speeding along on his silent steed, is met with almost as often as vehicles drawn by horses, and it is safe to say that in the various countries of the world not less than half a million bicycles and tricycles are now in use.
Derived terms
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Middle English
Etymology 1
Noun
steed
- Alternative form of stede (“place”)
Etymology 2
Noun
steed
- Alternative form of stede (“steed”)
North Frisian
Etymology
From Old Frisian stede, from Proto-Germanic *stadiz. Cognates include West Frisian stêd.
Noun
steed f (plural steeden) (Föhr-Amrum)
- city, town
- place, spot, stead
Usage notes
- One of the original feminines that still commonly take the reduced article a, chiefly in the sense of “town”. See at for further information.
Derived terms