noun
hostler
HAHS-ler/ˈhɑːslər/
A worker who cares for horses at an inn or stable.
The hostler brushes the horses and fills their water buckets.
Etymology
The inn-related ancestor named a guest-serving monk or an innkeeper. In English, the job label focused on the person tending travelers’ horses at an inn or stable.
More examples
- We left our horses with the inn's hostler.
- Two hostlers cleaned the stalls before the riders returned.
- The hostler checks each horse for signs of injury.
Forms
hostler · hostlers
Similar words
- groom
- Emphasizes grooming and daily care, not work at inns.
- stablehand
- Covers general stable chores as well as horse care.