💓 Heart device 💓 Heartbeat cells 🏆 A leader 🐎 A pace horse

pacemaker

1 8.3

A horse that sets a fast pace to help another horse win

noun
/ˈpeɪsˌmeɪkər/

Jargon

: liebre

We've got Australians, Norwegians, Ethiopians and one Japanese pacemaker.

Examples

In the marathon, the pacemaker helped maintain a steady pace for the leading group.
To have Eliud here, and all those pacemakers?

Kipchoge: The Last Milestone (2021)
The pacemaker set a challenging speed for the runners following closely behind.
During the race, the pacemaker's fast pace allowed the other runners to conserve their energy.

Synonyms

pacer

vspacemaker

Jargon

1 8.3

A horse used in harness racing that moves in a two-step rhythm and often leads the race

is entered to set a fast pace mainly to benefit a specific other runner

pacesetter

vspacemaker

Jargon

7.5

A horse that runs first to make the race go faster

is entered to set a fast pace specifically to help another runner

Compounds

cardiac pacemaker

Specialized

1 4.4

A small part of the heart that makes electrical signals to control the heartbeat

artificial pacemaker

Specialized

3.9

A small electronic device placed under the skin that keeps the heart beating steadily

Surface Forms

pacemaker singular

pacemakers plural

Morphology

pacemaker = pace + maker (transparent) = pace + maker

Literal compound: a horse that 'makes' or sets the 'pace' in a race; straightforwardly predictable from the components.

Etymology

Pacemaker comes from the two simple parts pace ('speed' or 'step') and maker ('one who makes'), so in horse racing a pacemaker is a horse that 'makes the pace' to help other runners keep a fast speed.