pastern

noun

pas·​tern ˈpa-stərn 

1

: a part of the foot of an equine extending from the fetlock to the top of the hoof see horse illustration

2

: a part of the leg of an animal other than an equine that corresponds to the pastern

Examples of pastern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The following day, though, Sovereignty’s trainer Bill Mott said the horse had a scrape on his right front pastern, which is above the hoof. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 7 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French pasturon, from pasture pastern, from Old French empasturer to hobble (a horse), from pasture tether, modification of Late Latin (chorda) pastoria, from Latin, feminine of pastorius of a herdsman, from pastor herdsman — more at pastor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pastern

• astern

Kids Definition

pastern

noun

pas·​tern ˈpas-ˈtərn 

: the part of the foot of a horse between the fetlock and the top of the hoof

also : the corresponding part of some other four-footed animals

Medical Definition

pastern

noun

pas·​tern ˈpas-tərn 

1

: a part of the foot of an equine extending from the fetlock to the top of the hoof

2

: a part of the leg of an animal other than an equine that corresponds to the pastern