Illustration of hoof
- 1 2 3 4 parts of wall
- 1 toe
- 2 side walls
- 3 quarters
- 4 buttresses
- 5 bulbs
- 6 sole
- 7 frog
1
: a curved covering of horn that protects the front of or encloses the ends of the digits of an ungulate mammal and that corresponds to a nail or claw
2
: a hoofed foot especially of a horse
Examples of hoof in a Sentence
Verb
The cast was hoofing on the stage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Colson Thayer, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The tiny seeds caught a ride in their seed bags as well as on their boots and clothes, and the invading grass took hold everywhere their horses’ hooves and wagon wheels tread.
—Ian Rose, JSTOR Daily, 26 Feb. 2025
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
Not since The Rosie O’Donnell Show have we been so frequently blessed with hoofers hoofing about in the ol’ hoof house.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoof
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Noun
The owners of nine horses found with severely overgrown hooves and unsanitary conditions were just charged with neglect.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The tiny seeds caught a ride in their seed bags as well as on their boots and clothes, and the invading grass took hold everywhere their horses’ hooves and wagon wheels tread.
—Ian Rose, JSTOR Daily, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
Not since The Rosie O’Donnell Show have we been so frequently blessed with hoofers hoofing about in the ol’ hoof house.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
Not since The Rosie O’Donnell Show have we been so frequently blessed with hoofers hoofing about in the ol’ hoof house.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoof
Cite this Entry
“Hoof.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoof. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plural hooves
ˈhu̇vz 
ˈhüvz
or hoofs
1
: a covering of horn that protects the front of or encloses the ends of the toes of some mammals (as horses, oxen, and pigs) and that corresponds to a nail or claw
2
: a hoofed foot especially of a horse
hoofed
adjective
ˈhu̇ft
ˈhüft
ˈhu̇vd
ˈhüvd
hoof
2 of 2 verb1
: to walk especially with haste
hoofed it to class
2
: to dance especially as a performer
watched the cast hoofing on the stage
hoofer
noun
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