mustang
noun
mus·tang ˈmə-ˌstaŋ 
1
: a small hardy naturalized horse of U.S. western plains directly descended from horses brought in by the Spaniards
also : bronc
2
slang : a commissioned officer (as in the U.S. Navy) who has risen from the ranks
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The first difficult chore, once a mustang has been brought to where it will be trained, is to get a halter on it. 
oregonlive, 27 June 2021 Training a wild mustang can be, to no one’s surprise, an intimidating task. Sunset Magazine, 4 Jan. 2021 Meanwhile, the Comanche, mounted on fleet mustangs, galloped toward them, firing arrows at a rate of 20 or 30 per minute. Jim Rasenberger, Time, 26 May 2020 The nonprofit’s signature program involves pairing veterans with wild mustangs to gentle and train, but interacting with the animals is not a requirement. Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2020 Bureau officials warn that the mustang herds are a looming catastrophe for the land, and there is no cheap or obvious solution. Dave Philipps, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2020 By the 1960s, only a few thousand mustangs were left. Dave Philipps, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2020 The well-digging behavior of feral mustangs and burros in the American West most likely echoes the original American horses, which died out about 12,000 years ago. Asher Elbein, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020 The roundup operation itself is strikingly efficient; a helicopter and a few workers in jean jackets can catch scores of mustangs in a day. Dave Philipps, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2020 See More
oregonlive, 27 June 2021 Training a wild mustang can be, to no one’s surprise, an intimidating task. Sunset Magazine, 4 Jan. 2021 Meanwhile, the Comanche, mounted on fleet mustangs, galloped toward them, firing arrows at a rate of 20 or 30 per minute. Jim Rasenberger, Time, 26 May 2020 The nonprofit’s signature program involves pairing veterans with wild mustangs to gentle and train, but interacting with the animals is not a requirement. Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2020 Bureau officials warn that the mustang herds are a looming catastrophe for the land, and there is no cheap or obvious solution. Dave Philipps, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2020 By the 1960s, only a few thousand mustangs were left. Dave Philipps, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2020 The well-digging behavior of feral mustangs and burros in the American West most likely echoes the original American horses, which died out about 12,000 years ago. Asher Elbein, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020 The roundup operation itself is strikingly efficient; a helicopter and a few workers in jean jackets can catch scores of mustangs in a day. Dave Philipps, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Mexican Spanish mestengo, from Spanish, stray, from mesteño strayed, from mesta annual roundup of cattle that disposed of strays, from Medieval Latin (animalia) mixta mixed animals
First Known Use
1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
mustang
noun
mus·tang ˈmə-ˌstang
: a small hardy wild horse of the western United States that is descended from horses brought in by the Spaniards
Geographical Definition
Mustang
geographical name
Mu·stang mu̇-ˈstäŋ
variants or locally Lo
ˈlō
historical Himalayan kingdom in remote northern Nepal bordered by Tibet on the west, north, and east
mustang
noun
as in bronco
Synonyms & Similar Words
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- bronco
- pony
- colt
- mare
- stallion
- filly
- gelding
- foal
- racehorse
- mount
- trotter
- pinto
- palomino
- horse
- black
- warhorse
- roan
- chestnut
- steed
- bay
- saddle horse
- packhorse
- quarter horse
- sorrel
- charger
- prancer
- dun
- equine
- hackney
- equid
- workhorse
- hack
- cow pony
- cutting horse
- courser
- galloper
- buckskin
- nag
- dobbin
- skewbald
- cob
- skate
- jade
- plug