Definition

1. Noun:
   • A young female horse under the age of four: A "filly" is a female horse that has not yet reached its fourth birthday. After this age, it is typically called a mare.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The farmer is very proud of his new filly; she is very fast.
  • They entered the two-year-old filly in the prestigious race.

Advanced Usage

• In horse racing: The term "filly" is used specifically to categorize races and identify competitors. A race restricted to fillies is called a "filly race."
  • The Kentucky Oaks is a famous race for three-year-old fillies.

Variants and Related Words

• Colt (n): A young male horse under the age of four.
  • The colt and the filly grazed together in the field.
• Mare (n): An adult female horse, typically four years old or older.
  • The filly will become a mare next year.

Synonyms

• Young female horse: This is a direct descriptive synonym.
• Foal (n): A very young horse of either sex, typically under one year old. (Note: "Foal" is gender-neutral, while "filly" specifies the female sex.)

Idioms and Figurative Use

• Informal/Slang: In informal contexts, "filly" can sometimes be used to refer to a lively young woman. This usage is considered dated or slang.
  • He was chatting with a group of young fillies at the party. (Note: This usage may be perceived as old-fashioned or potentially disrespectful.)

Noun

1. a young female horse under the age of four