canter

1 of 3

noun (1)

cant·​er ˈkan-tər 

: one who uses cant: such as

a

: beggar, vagabond

b

: a user of professional or religious cant

canter

2 of 3

verb

can·​ter ˈkan-tər 

cantered; cantering; canters

intransitive verb

1

: to move at or as if at a canter : lope

2

: to ride a horse at a canter

transitive verb

: to cause to go at a canter

canter

3 of 3

noun (2)

can·​ter ˈkan-tər 

1

: a 3-beat gait resembling but smoother and slower than the gallop

2

: a ride at a canter

Examples of canter in a Sentence

Verb

The horses cantered across the grass.

We cantered off toward the lake.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That’s not quite as many as 2016, when seventeen candidates contested the primary that Trump eventually won in a canter. —John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 24 June 2023

Related In the end, Subtract won the chart race in a canter. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 15 May 2023

But the animals here, designed by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, with movement direction by Caldwell, prowl and canter and leap with astonishing character and style. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023

The horse seemed to enjoy its 15 minutes of fame, trotting by with ease, snaking in and out of the 1920s and 30s constructivist installations and by sand and imitation grass, before breaking out into a canter around the set. —Thomas Adamson, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2022

First is the grooming, then a thorough warm-up of walk, trot, and canter in the arena which gets the horses’ minds focused. —Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2022

Crossland said getting Pinch to canter was the biggest accomplishment of her riding career. —Madison Smalstig, The Indianapolis Star, 1 July 2022

The canter back to .500 has been led by Pérez, who has stabilized the starting rotation, allowing the bullpen to settle into roles. —Dallas News, 31 May 2022

As spectators clung to the fence, Hannah asked Rosette to circle Baghera, first at a walk, then a trot, and finally at a canter. —Lois Szymanski, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, 19 Oct. 2021

Verb

Footage captured by bystanders shows a Harriot II employee jumping in the river and swimming to Pickett’s aid, a group of three men cantering up to join the fight, and even a pair of white Crocs being turned into anklets by the sheer force of body slams. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2023

Sometime during the process, a fox went cantering past, heading from the direction of the public beach toward the wilderness to the west. —Lawrence Specker | [e-mail], al, 29 June 2023

This morning’s Stella McCartney show featured one of the moments of the season: Alongside her models were seven gorgeous horses—many of them siblings—who cantered, rolled in the sand, bowed, and behaved extraordinarily and beautifully. —Luke Leitch, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2023

Hang a left and canter back to the trailhead. —Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2021

Crossland is one of about 10 of Keller’s students who were able to canter with Pinch. —Madison Smalstig, The Indianapolis Star, 1 July 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Verb

short for obsolete canterbury, noun (canter), from Canterbury, England; from the supposed gait of pilgrims riding to Canterbury

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1609, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1706, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

canter

1 of 2 noun

can·​ter

ˈkant-ər

: a three-beat gait of a horse resembling but smoother and slower than the gallop

canter

2 of 2 verb

: to go or cause to go at a canter