mustang
pronunciation
How to pronounce mustang in British English:
UK [ˈmʌstæŋ]
How to pronounce mustang in American English:
US [ˈmʌsˌtæŋ]
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- Noun:
- small hardy range horse of the western plains descended from horses brought by the Spanish
Word Origin
- mustang
- mustang: [19] Etymologically, a mustang is a ‘mixed’ animal. The word comes from Mexican Spanish mestengo, which originally in Spanish meant ‘stray’. This was derived from mesta ‘annual roundup of cattle, participated in by all the herdsmen, in which stray cattle were disposed of’, which in turn goes back to medieval Latin mixta. And mixta (literally ‘mixed’) was used for the wild or stray animals that got ‘mixed’ in with the graziers’ herds (it was a noun use of the feminine past participle of miscēre ‘mix’, source of English miscellaneous and mix).The word passed early on from ‘stray cattle’ to ‘stray horses’.=> miscellaneous, mix
- mustang (n.)
- "small, half-wild horse of the American prairie," 1808, from Mexican Spanish mestengo "animal that strays" (16c.), from Spanish mestengo "wild, stray, ownerless," literally "belonging to the mesta," an association of cattle ranchers who divided stray or unclaimed animals that got "mixed" with the herds, from Latin mixta "mixed," fem. past participle of miscere "to mix" (see mix (v.)). Said to be influenced by the Spanish word mostrenco "straying, wild," which is probably from mostrar, from Latin monstrare "to show."
Example
- 1. Based on an old pinto chassis , the gas-sipping mustang ii combined poor performance with mediocre handling .
- 2. Among other features , the new mustang will get turbocharging and an independent rear suspension for the first time .
- 3. With stiffer fuel economy regulations looming , ford introduces a mustang boss 302 with a four-cylinder ecoboost engine .
- 4. Her red mustang drove like a baby .
- 5. Another ford official indicated the company might even possibly launch the mustang in china some day .