canter
1 of 3noun (1)
cant·er ˈkan-tər 
: one who uses cant: such as
a
: beggar, vagabond
b
: a user of professional or religious cant
canter
2 of 3verb
can·ter ˈkan-tər
cantered; cantering; canters
intransitive verb
1
: to move at or as if at a canter : lope
2
: to ride a horse at a canter
transitive verb
: to cause to go at a canter
canter
3 of 3noun (2)
can·ter ˈkan-tər
1
: a 3-beat gait resembling but smoother and slower than the gallop
2
: a ride at a canter
Example Sentences
Verb The horses cantered across the grass. We cantered off toward the lake.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
short for obsolete canterbury, noun (canter), from Canterbury, England; from the supposed gait of pilgrims riding to Canterbury
First Known Use
Noun (1)
1609, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1706, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
canter 1 of 2
noun
can·ter ˈkan-tər
: a horse's gait resembling but slower than a gallop
canter
2 of 2verb
cantered; cantering
: to run with a movement that resembles but is slower than a gallop
Below he saw the Black cantering along the beach.
Walter Farley, The Black Stallion
Walter Farley, The Black Stallioncantered
verb
as in loped
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- loped
- galloped
- leaped
- bounded
- trotted
- sprang
- skipped
- sprinted
- scampered
- jogged
- sprung
- leapt
- shagged
- raced
- breezed
- sped
- dashed
- hurried
- tripped
- hastened
- humped
- bolted
- hurtled
- hustled
- careened
- blazed
- bustled
- hied
- rushed
- bowled
- whirled
- rocketed
- ran
- barreled
- coursed
- rustled
- scooted
- tore
- hurled
- zoomed
- belted
- whisked
- buzzed
- rammed
- blasted
- run
- zipped
- blew
- scurried
- jetted
- ripped
- hared
- pelted
- speeded
- barrelled
- pattered
- shot
- nipped
- scuttled
- bombed
- cannonballed
- hotfooted (it)
- legged (it)
- hoofed (it)
- footed (it)
- stepped (along)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strolled
- sauntered
- ambled
- shuffled
- dragged
- crept
- lingered
- crawled
- lagged
- loitered
- shambled
- dawdled
- poked
- trudged
- tarried
- plodded
- dallied
- lumbered
- limped
- hobbled
- dillydallied