Horselike

Horselike is an adjective meaning resembling or characteristic of a horse. It is used to describe morphology, locomotion, or behavior that evokes a horse, including in living animals that are not true horses, fossil relatives, or fantasy creatures.

Usage and nuance: In scientific contexts, equine is the preferred technical term; horselike emphasizes resemblance rather than taxonomic status. Horse-like and horselike are common spellings, with horselike also found without a hyphen.

Biology and paleontology: Horselike traits include elongated limbs for running, a long face, and hoof-like distal digits. In horse evolution, early ancestors exhibit horselike limb and dentition patterns before evolving the modern monodactyl hoof.

Fiction and culture: The descriptor is used for creatures in myth or fiction that combine horse-like form or gait with other traits, as well as for design concepts in art or media.

See also: equine, horse, ungulate, horse-like.