stud

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈstəd 

plural studs

1

a

: a group of animals and especially horses kept primarily for breeding

b

: a place where a stud is kept

Haras du Pin, founded in 1730, is the biggest national stud in France …

—Wendy Insinger

—often used before another noun

stud farms

2

: stud horse

Next day, the stud was led from his stall and turned into the breaking pen.

—Dave Jones

broadly : a male animal kept or used for breeding

—often used before another noun

a stud dog

stud service

see also stud book

3

informal

a

: a very attractive and masculine man : hunk sense 2

He plays Torch, the shirtless soap-opera stud, with a restless, street-corner sexiness.

—Susan Littwin

… She's All That, in which high school stud Freddie Prinze Jr. transforms dork Rachel Leigh Cook into a beauty queen.

—Entertainment Weekly

often, specifically : such a man who has a reputation of having multiple sexual partners

The world, anyway the part of it that cares, has heard of [Warren] Beatty's reputation as stud and of his affair with Christie.

—Stanley Kaufmann

b

: a young man : guy

c

: a tough person

4

sports, informal : a very talented usually young new player

… Portland was one of the more active teams in the offseason, acquiring potential All-Star Harvey Grant and rebounding stud Chris Dudley.

—Joe Menzer

… the team will look to start over at the position with a young stud. …

—Adam Cloutier

—often used before another noun

The conventional spoon-feeding of the young stud pitcher calls for strict pitch counts and early exits.

—Tim Keown

5

often stud poker : poker in which each player is dealt a mix of usually five to seven facedown and faceup cards in multiple rounds with betting taking place after most rounds of dealing

Stud poker, where each player is dealt their first card face-down and the next four cards face-up, didn't come into existence for many years (until about 1864).

—Rebecca Ferguson

a stud poker player/game/hand

An M.B.A. from Harvard, he viewed seven-card stud as a test of money management …

—Sandra R. Gregg

When I was dealing I usually proposed five-card stud, a rudimentary game in which one's luck is quickly determined.

—Hayden Carruth

stud

2 of 4

noun (2)

1

a

: one of the smaller uprights in the framing of the walls of a building to which sheathing, paneling, or laths are fastened : scantling

b

: height from floor to ceiling

2

a

: a boss, rivet, or nail with a large head used (as on a shield or belt) for ornament or protection

b

: a solid button with a shank or eye on the back inserted (as through an eyelet in a garment) as a fastener or ornament

c

: a small button-like ornament with a post for inserting through a body part (such as the earlobe or nostril) and into a clasp

3

a

: any of various infixed pieces (such as a rod or pin) projecting from a machine and serving chiefly as a support or axis

b

: one of the metal or rubber cleats projecting from a snow tire to increase traction

stud

3 of 4

verb

studded; studding

transitive verb

1

: to furnish (a building, a wall, etc.) with studs

2

: to adorn, cover, or protect with studs

3

: to set, mark, or decorate conspicuously often at intervals

a sky studded with stars

a career studded with honors

stud

4 of 4

abbreviation

student

Phrases

at stud or less commonly in stud

: in the function of a stud : for breeding as a stud

Three important stallions—Cor de la Bryere, Furioso II and Zeus—which now stand at stud in West Germany, are leaders in their perspective age groups in the production of sport horses …

—Joan Birdsall

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• beefcake
• hunk
• pretty boy
• superstud

Examples of stud in a Sentence

Verb

Beads stud the surface of the gown.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the market for a simple silver ring or stud earrings? —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024

Satin black gloves and a pair of diamond stud earrings were the finishing touches to her look. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 1 Apr. 2024

Related Articles Grier has effectively torn the team down to the studs by trading Timo Meier, Erik Karlsson, and Tomas Hertl – mostly for future assets — all within about 54 weeks. —Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024

To top it off, the black rubber strap sports the same pyramid studs as the bezel. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024

On June 19, 1939, a mob attacked her home at 940 E. Annie St. On March 21, 2024, Opal Lee cut a wood stud and raised a wall for her new home on the same lot. —Candi Bolden, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2024

Dassler did not invent the boots with changeable studs, as many believe. —Ciarán Fahey, Quartz, 21 Mar. 2024

The store products in his possession were catalogued as evidence and deposited into Home Depot carts, to be returned to inventory: Tide detergent, Bounty paper towels, a space heater, a stud detector. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024

Michael Calore: Which is? Lauren Goode: Cord Jefferson is a stud. —Lauren Goode Michael Calore, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024

Verb

This imagined America is studded with names borrowed from the real one: St. Louis might be a mere backwater, but T. S. Eliot is still among its locals. —The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

When readers pick up a Mass book, there are familiar tentpoles studded throughout. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2024

Another take on identity in a fast-changing world, studded with knowing detail, produced by Turbokultur for ARD Degeto Film and Hessischer Rundfunk (HR). —John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024

The brand’s calling card is basics with a twist: silver rings with chain-like forms, chains that look like nothing else on the market, forms studded with semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024

But that moniker could just as well describe her son’s strange, angular body of work, studded with sentences that feel both watchful and intimate. —Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024

Three months ago, the grotto looked like a desert rock formation studded with pink Chiclets. —Elisabeth Egan Chase Castor, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Over the years, Carr has become known for bold moves in artistic presentation, with groundbreaking shows and interactive exhibitions studded throughout the calendar year. —Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 1 Apr. 2024

Clay is Nutella gelato studded with bites of brownie. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English stod, from Old English stōd; akin to Old Church Slavonic stado flock and probably to Old High German stān to stand — more at stand

Noun (2)

Middle English stode, from Old English studu; akin to Middle High German stud prop, Old Norse stoth post

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1506, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stud

• at stud
• five-card stud
• in stud
• press stud
• seven-card stud
• stud book
• stud horse
• stud muffin
• stud poker

Kids Definition

stud

1 of 3 noun

ˈstəd 

1

: a group of animals and especially horses kept primarily for breeding

2

: a male animal (as a stallion) kept for breeding

stud

2 of 3 noun

1

: one of the smaller upright supports in the framing of the walls of a building to which the wall materials are fastened

2

a

: a knob, pin, bolt, or nail with a large head used for ornament or protection

b

: a solid button used on a garment as a fastener or ornament

3

: one of the metal or rubber cleats used on a snow tire to provide a better grip

stud

3 of 3 verb

studded; studding

1

: to furnish (as a wall) with studs

2

: to decorate, cover, or protect with studs

3

: to set or be set thickly together

water studded with islands

Etymology

Noun

Old English stōd

Noun

Old English studu