equus
[ˈɛ.kʊs]masculine
The English word horse is translated into Latin as equus. Wiktionary also lists caballus.
Meaning: members of the species ''Equus ferus'' (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| equus | [ˈɛ.kʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈɛː.kʷus] (narrow) |
masculine |
| caballus | [kaˈbal.lʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [kaˈbal.lus] (narrow) |
masculine |
The terms used for horse refer to members of the species Equus ferus.
Which one should you use?
caballus is an alternative masculine form. To specify a female horse or a mare, use the term equa.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word equus is a masculine noun. To express the possessive meaning 'of the horse', use the genitive singular form equi.
Did you know?
- While equus was the standard term, the Latin caballus originally referred to a 'nag' or a workhorse. This more humble word eventually became the root for 'horse' in the Romance languages like French 'cheval' and Spanish 'caballo'.
- The word equus is a distant relative of the Sanskrit word áśva and the Persian word asb. These similarities exist because they all descend from a single root in the Proto-Indo-European language.
Examples in context
- Hic equus meus erit.That's going to be my horse.This sentence shows how to use equus to identify ownership.Tatoeba #1790708 by alexmarcelo, translation #7920404 by shekitten
- Equus albus est tuus.The white horse is yours.This sentence demonstrates using equus with a color adjective.Tatoeba #1915656 by alexmarcelo, translation #6360651 by RudeGuyGames
- Equus meus niger est.My horse is black.This sentence shows how to use equus with a color adjective to describe a horse.Tatoeba #1915726 by alexmarcelo, translation #2703249 by catcher
- Equus est animal bonum.The horse is a good animal.
- Caballus est velocissimus.The horse is very fast.
- Equuleus est parvus, sed celer.The pony is small but fast.
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Marcus are looking at a stable.
- JuliaMarce, ubi est equus?Marcus, where is the horse?
- MarcusEquus ibi est.The horse is there.
- JuliaEstne equus noster?Is it our horse?
- MarcusIta, equus noster est.Yes, it is our horse.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “horse” translations and entries equus, caballus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caballus, equus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
