What does "pony" mean?
A small horse; specifically, any of several small breeds of horse under 14.2 hands at the withers.
Pony
/ˈpəʊni/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small horse; specifically, any of several small breeds of horse under 14.2 hands at the withers.
- Grammar: pony is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: amount, amplification, baby, bantam.
- Useful contrasts: clydesdale, defer, giant horse.
- Usage evidence: So what did you think of this pony here?
How to use "pony"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pony" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pony" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pony" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pony" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pony" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amount" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pony", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small horse; specifically, any of several small breeds of horse under 14.2 hands at the withers.
- 2 Crap; rubbish, nonsense. Cockney, slang
- 3 An athletic shoe or other piece of athletic gear of an American-based brand of that name.
- 4 a range horse of the western United States wordnet
- 5 A horse of any size. endearing
Show 14 more definitions
- 6 any of various breeds of small gentle horses usually less than five feet high at the shoulder wordnet
- 7 a contraption built like a mount, strong enough to support one's weight
- 8 an informal term for a racehorse wordnet
- 9 A small serving of an alcoholic beverage, especially beer. regional
"1879, “Some Queer Interviews: Interview with a Pony of Beer”, Puck, Vol. 5–6, p. 435"
- 10 a small glass adequate to hold a single swallow of whiskey wordnet
- 11 A serving of 140 millilitres of beer (formerly 5 fl oz); a quarter pint. Australia, New-South-Wales, Western
- 12 a literal translation used in studying a foreign language (often used illicitly) wordnet
- 13 Twenty-five pounds (money). UK, slang
"“You said a pony,” interposed Clavering; “my dear fellow, you said a pony, and I’ll be eternally obliged to you; and I’ll not take it as a gift—only as a loan, and pay you back in six months. I take my oath, I will.” “Well—well—there’s the money, Sir Francis Clavering. […] Here’s five-and-twenty for you."
- 14 A translation used as a study aid; loosely, a crib, a cheat-sheet. US, slang
"She kept the dates written down in her Latin 'pony', so she didn't have to bother about who it was."
- 15 A ponytail hairstyle. slang
"His hair is a semilong dull red and pulled back in a sloppy pony at the base of his neck, and his face is riddled with small freckles and grease, but out here I can see personal hygiene isn't exactly at the top of the priority list."
- 16 One horsepower. slang
"How many ponies are under the hood?"
- 17 A dance from the 1960s in which the dancer mimics the high-stepping prance of a pony.
"Do the monkey, do the pony / Do the slop, do the boogaloo twist."
- 18 A chorus girl of small stature. slang
"He suggested a Rose Ballet in which he would use the G. V. Follies chorus girls, chiefly the ponies and mediums."
- 19 Ellipsis of Sony pony. abbreviation, alt-of, derogatory, ellipsis, slang
Verb
- 1 To lead (a horse) from another horse. transitive
- 2 To use a crib or cheat-sheet in translating.
Adjective
- 1 Of little worth. Cockney, not-comparable, slang
Proper Noun
- 1 Ellipsis of Pony International, an American brand of athletic gear. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
- 2 Ellipsis of My Little Pony, a cartoon media-franchise based on anthropomorphic equines. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Antonyms
Example
"So what did you think of this pony here?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pony"?
Common synonyms include: amount, amplification, baby, bantam, banty, bawbee.
How do you use "pony" in a sentence?
So what did you think of this pony here?
How do you pronounce "pony"?
Pronounced /ˈpəʊni/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
1659 from Scots powny, apparently from Middle French poulenet (“little foal”), ultimately from Late Latin pullanus (“young of an animal”), from pullus (cognate to English foal). Sense “small serving of alcohol” from 19th century, both for small sizes generally and for a quarter pint specifically, from the small size.
Etymology 2
Clipping of pony and trap, rhyming with crap.