Main Entry: mus·tang

Pronunciation: \ˈməs-ˌtaŋ\

Function: noun

Etymology: Mexican Spanish mestengo, from Spanish, stray, from mesteño strayed, from mesta annual roundup of cattle that disposed of strays, from Medieval Latin (animalia) mixta mixed animals

Date: 1808

1 : a small hardy naturalized horse of United States western plains directly descended from horses brought in by the Spaniards; also : bronc
2 slang : a commissioned officer (as in the United States Navy) who has risen from the ranks