Racecourse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A specific venue featuring a marked track for horse racing competitions An area specially constructed for the organization and running of horse races A dedicated location where equestrian events occur on a designated racing track
2. A specially designed place with a track intended for conducting horse races
3. An area arranged with a circuit to host competitions involving horse racing

Etymology: Racecourse is a plain compound, built from "race" and "course," and its parts carry more of the story than the whole. "Race" comes from a word meaning a running or a swift current, and in English it first meant a contest of speed before it came to name a track. "Course" traces back to the idea of running or flowing, the same notion behind a river's course, which is why the two halves fit together so naturally: one is the contest, the other the ground where it runs. The result is a name that describes exactly what the place is. A racecourse is simply the course on which races happen, and the term is used for the marked track and the grounds built around it, which is where horse races are staged and organized.

Synonyms: racetrack, track, course, oval, circuit