donkey
n. countablen. a grey or brown animal with long ears that looks like a small horse. They are known for being strong and sometimes stubborn.
n. a domesticated hoofed mammal of the horse family with long ears and a braying call.
The farmer used a donkey to carry the heavy bags of grain.
During the trek through the mountains, a donkey carried the heavy camping gear for the group.
While horses were often reserved for the wealthy, the donkey served as a vital beast of burden for rural communities throughout history due to its endurance and sure-footedness.
The origin is uncertain. Originally a slang term from the late eighteenth century. Perhaps from Middle English *donekie (“a miniature dun horse”), a double diminutive of Middle English don, dun, dunne (a name for a dun horse), equivalent to modern English dun (“brownish grey colour”) + -ock (diminutive suffix) + -ie (diminutive suffix), or similarly formed from the given name Duncan. Compare Middle English donning (“a dun horse”), English dunnock. Became more common than the original term ass due to the latter's homophony and partial merger with arse (compare similar development between coney and rabbit).