stirrup
/ˈstɝ.əp/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.44 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A ring or hoop suspended by a rope or strap from the saddle, for a horseman's foot while mounting or riding.
noun
A stapes.
adj
Referring to women's pants/trousers: being of a form, commonly worn by women, that includes a strap beneath the arch of the foot.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "With what different feelings did he now put foot in stirrup to the last time when he sprung to horse?"
- "Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.[…]A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold stirrup in his Ascot tie, sufficiently proclaimed his tastes."
- "For quotations using this term, see Citations:stirrup."
Etymology
From Middle English stirop, stirope, from Old English stiġrāp (“stirrup”), a compound of stiġe ("ascent, descent, a going up or down"; related to stīġan (“to climb”)) and rāp (“rope”), equivalent to sty + rope. Cognate with Dutch stegereep, stegelreep (“stirrup”), Old Saxon stigerēp (“stirrup”), Middle High German stereip, stegreif ("stirrup"; > German Stegreif (“improvisation”)), Icelandic stigreip (“stirrup”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: stirop, stiġrāp
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈstɝ.əp/
- British English: /ˈstɪ.ɹəp/
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
birthing stirrups
stirrup bone
stirrup cup
stirrup iron
stirrup jar
stirrup leather
stirrup leggings
stirrup pants