pony

noun

po·​ny ˈpō-nē How to pronounce pony (audio)
plural ponies
1
a
: a small horse
especially : one of any of several breeds of very small stocky animals noted for their gentleness and endurance
b
: a bronco, mustang, or similar horse of the western U.S.
c
: racehorse
usually used in plural
2
: something smaller than standard: such as
a
: a small beer glass
b
: a small liqueur glass typically holding one ounce
3
: a literal translation of a foreign language text
especially : one used surreptitiously by students in preparing or reciting lessons

Examples of pony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While Wicked era Ariana solely relied on light sparkly makeup, Ariana is now seen wearing dramatic lashes, cat eye liner, and of course her 2018 high pony. Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2025 And although stans were happy to celebrate the end of the Eternal Sunshine era with the new short film, they were especially shocked by Ariana’s choice to rock her signature pony—which gave us flashbacks to her Thank U, Next days. Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2025 The video showed several clips of the toddler spending time with horses — riding them, feeding them carrots and walking a miniature pony on a leash. Kayla Grant, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 From suede finishes to pony hair belts, the collection adds a touch of rustic charm to your spring accessories. Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pony

Word History

Etymology

probably from obsolete French poulenet, diminutive of French poulain colt, from Old French pulain, perhaps from Medieval Latin pullamen young animal, from Latin pullus — more at foal

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pony was in 1659

Cite this Entry

“Pony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pony. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

pony

noun
po·​ny ˈpō-nē How to pronounce pony (audio)
plural ponies
1
: a small horse
especially : a horse of any of several breeds of very small compact animals
2
: a word-for-word translation of a foreign language text

More from Merriam-Webster on pony

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