farrier

IPA/ˈfæriə(r)/
KK[fˈɛriɚ]IPA/ˈfæriər/

farrier — noun

  • farriersingular
  • farriersplural

1. a person whose trade is shaping and nailing metal horseshoes onto horses' hooves

1.nounB2
Definition

a person whose trade is shaping and nailing metal horseshoes onto horses' hooves to protect them from wear and injury on hard surfaces

Example

The farrier checked each horse's hooves before shaping the metal shoes at the forge.

farrier + check hooves before shoeing (workflow)

A good farrier knows both blacksmithing and how a horse's hoof works.

Common collocations
  • call a farrier
  • farrier shod the horse
  • farrier's forge
  • farrier's hammer
  • trained as a farrier
Synonyms
  • blacksmith

    broader term; a blacksmith works with iron generally, not only on horseshoes

  • horseshoer

    more specific but less common; describes the exact same trade

Common Mistakes

The farrier gave the horse a vaccination.
The farrier shod the horse before the trail ride.
A farrier works on hooves and metal shoes; a veterinarian handles medical treatments.

Word family

  • farriery
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Farrier, blacksmith, and horseshoer all involve working with metal, but they differ in scope. A farrier specialises specifically in horseshoes and hoof care — the job requires knowledge of horse anatomy, gait, and the correct fit of the shoe. A blacksmith works with iron more broadly: making tools, gates, railings, or decorative items, and may not work with horses at all. Horseshoer is a near-synonym of farrier but is much less common in modern use and often sounds informal or regionally specific. For example: 'The farrier noticed the mare was favouring her left front leg and adjusted the shoe accordingly.' A blacksmith would not typically perform that evaluation.

farrier ↗blacksmith ↗horseshoer

Common collocations

Nouns

  • farrier's forge
  • farrier's hammer
  • farrier's apron
  • farrier service

Phrases

  • call a farrier
  • train as a farrier
  • work as a farrier
  • farrier shod the horse

Etymology

LatinOld French / Anglo-NormanMiddle EnglishModern English

The word farrier comes from Old French ferrier, meaning 'one who works with iron', which itself traces back to Latin ferrum meaning 'iron'. It entered Middle English through Anglo-Norman French during the medieval period, when the trade of shoeing horses became a specialised craft separate from general blacksmithing.