hoofbeat

noun

hoof·​beat ˈhu̇f-ˌbēt 

ˈhüf-

: the sound of a hoof striking a hard surface (such as the ground)

Examples of hoofbeat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the true pulse of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the hoofbeat of elk, the park’s most abundant large mammal. — National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2023

The next morning, Santa will deliver gifts from a real sleigh drawn by brother draft horses Pete and Repeat, their hoofbeats muffled by glittering, fresh white snow. — Candice Yacono, Orange County Register, 29 July 2019

Most of us rarely do this, unless moved by a desire to mimic the hoofbeats of a horse, but Charlie Graham (Milly Shapiro), a non-smiling girl of thirteen, klokks with unnerving frequency. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 7 June 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hoofbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

hoofbeat

noun

hoof·​beat ˈhu̇f-ˌbēt 

ˈhüf-

: the sound of a hoof striking a hard surface (as the ground)