What does foal mean?
A foal is a very young horse — one that has not yet been weaned and is generally less than a year old. The term applies to both sexes, which distinguishes it from 'colt' (a male young horse) and 'filly' (a female one); once breeders want more precision, those terms take over. 'Foal' also works as a verb, describing the act of giving birth: a mare is said to foal, usually in spring after an eleven-month gestation. The word carries warm, pastoral connotations, appearing constantly in equestrian, agricultural, and sporting contexts — from stud farms announcing births to racetracks charting future champions. Etymologically, it descends from the Old English 'fola', a Germanic word whose relatives still name the young horse across northern Europe, and it connects further back to the Latin 'pullus', meaning a young animal of any kind. Few words so neatly capture both newness and pedigree.
A very young horse, especially one still nursing and generally under a year old, of either sex.
"A chestnut foal trotted unsteadily behind its mother."
Use 'colt' or 'filly' when specifying the sex of the young horse.
To give birth to a foal; said of a mare.
"The mare foaled early in the morning without complication."
Chiefly used in horse-breeding and veterinary contexts.
Standard plural; simply add -s.
"The farm raised three foals this season."
Every racehorse that ever won a Derby began life as a gangly foal that could stand on all four legs within about an hour of birth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of foal
'Foal' derives from the Old English 'fola', a common Germanic term whose continental cousins survive as the German 'Fohlen' and Dutch 'veulen'. It traces ultimately to the same Indo-European root as the Latin 'pullus' (a young animal), which also gives English words like 'pullet'. The word has named the young horse continuously in English since before the Norman Conquest, making it one of the older surviving livestock terms in the language.
How foal is actually used
'Foal' is the neutral term for a young horse of either sex; once keepers specify sex, they use 'colt' or 'filly'. The word also functions as a verb, meaning to give birth to a foal, used chiefly in breeding contexts ('the mare foaled last night').
Easily confused with foal
A colt is specifically a male foal, whereas 'foal' refers to a young horse of either sex.
A filly is specifically a female foal or young female horse, whereas 'foal' covers both sexes.
A fowl is a bird such as a chicken or turkey, while a foal is a young horse; the two are sometimes muddled because of their similar-sounding spellings.