🐦 A fast bird 🐎 A swift horse 🐕 A hunting dog 🏹 A huntsman

courser

9.9

A strong fast horse used in battle or hunting long ago

noun
/ˈkɔːrsər/

Archaic

: destrero

In ancient times, a courser was essential for a nobleman, providing both speed and agility on the battlefield.

Examples

During the hunt, they relied on their best courser to chase down the fleeing deer.
Teams of plow horses pulled the wagons, and Yoren had bought two coursers and a half-dozen donkeys for the boys.

Fiction book (2000)
The knight rode a courser into battle, demonstrating its speed and strength against the enemy.

Synonyms

steed

vscourser

Archaic

17 9.6

A strong, fast horse used for riding in battle

is more general and includes everyday riding and hunting uses

charger

vscourser

Archaic

7 9.9

A strong fast horse that knights ride into battle

is similar but also used for hunting as well

warhorse

vscourser

1 9.0

A strong horse trained to carry soldiers into battle

is often swifter and also used outside large wars like hunting

destrier

vscourser

Archaic

1 9.9

A large strong horse that knights ride into battle or tournaments

is generally lighter and used both for battle and hunting

cavalry horse

vscourser

1 6.2

A horse that soldiers ride into battle

is broader and also means a swift hunting mount not only military

Compounds

cream-colored courser

9.9

A pale sandy bird that runs quickly across dry plains

Surface Forms

courser singular

coursers plural

Morphology

courser = course (transparent) = course + er

A straightforward agentive formation: 'course' (to run/ pursue) + '-er' gives 'a fast-running horse'; learners familiar with agentive '-er' should find this derivation clear.

Etymology

Courser comes from an old French word meaning a 'runner', from Latin currere 'to run', and it shares the root with course. So a strong, fast horse was called a courser because it was bred to run quickly in battle and hunts.