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 Stallioncanter
verb
as in to lope
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- lope
- gallop
- trot
- leap
- spring
- bound
- skip
- shag
- sprint
- jog
- scamper
- speed
- trip
- course
- hare
- race
- hump
- hurry
- hie
- dash
- belt
- barrel
- cannonball
- breeze
- rush
- hasten
- jet
- bowl
- zip
- rocket
- bustle
- bolt
- ram
- hustle
- rustle
- whirl
- zoom
- tear
- run
- scoot
- blaze
- whisk
- rip
- buzz
- blast
- pelt
- blow
- hurl
- patter
- careen
- hurtle
- shoot
- scurry
- hotfoot (it)
- nip
- scuttle
- foot (it)
- bomb
- hoof (it)
- leg (it)
- step (along)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stroll
- amble
- saunter
- shuffle
- drag
- dawdle
- linger
- crawl
- lag
- shamble
- plod
- creep
- tarry
- limp
- poke
- trudge
- dally
- dillydally
- lumber
- loiter
- hobble