noun
canter
KAN-tuh
noun
1
A horse's gait that is faster than a trot but slower than a gallop.
"The rider eased the horse into a smooth canter."
verb
1
To move, or to ride a horse, at this gait.
"They cantered along the beach at sunset."
How to Use Canter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA horse's gait faster than a trot but slower than a gallop, or to ride at that pace.
Easily confused with
center →
canter (cantor)
Common pairings
break into a canter
canter along
Word Forms
cantered past tense, canters plural, canters plural, Canters plural, canters singular
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The rider eased the horse into a smooth _____.
Etymology
Short for "Canterbury pace," referring to the supposedly gentle pace of medieval pilgrims riding to Canterbury.