Ostler

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɒslə/

Definitions

1. An individual who manages and looks after horses, particularly in settings that provide accommodations for travelers
2. A worker tasked with the upkeep and feeding of horses, especially at inns or stables
3. A person responsible for caring for horses, including feeding and cleaning, commonly employed at inns or stables

Etymology: "Ostler" is a spelling variant of "hostler," and the word's history turns on that h. A hostler was originally someone who kept an inn's horses, and the name comes from "hostel," the medieval word for an inn or lodging. In the late 14th century, English speakers began dropping the initial h in this word, so that "hostler" gradually became "ostler" in ordinary speech and writing. The h that disappeared was not a random loss. Hostler came from Anglo-French and Old French roots tied to the idea of a place where travelers were lodged, so the word carried the sense of a stable-keeper attached to an inn. Over time the spelling "ostler" became the familiar form, while "hostler" survived alongside it, and both now refer to a person who looks after horses.

Synonyms: groom, stableman, stablehand, horsekeeper, caretaker

Antonyms: rider, owner, trainer, jockey, breeder