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gait

(gāt)

1. A particular way or manner of moving on foot: a person who ran with a clumsy, hobbling gait.

2. Any of the ways, such as a canter, trot, or walk, by which a horse can move by lifting the feet in different order or rhythm.

3. Rate or manner of proceeding: The project went forward at a steady gait.

tr.v. gait·ed, gait·ing, gaits

To train (a horse) in a particular gait or gaits.

[Middle English gate, path, gait, from Old Norse gata, path; see ghē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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