hoof
n. countablen. the hard, tough part on the foot of animals like horses, cows, or deer. It is made of the same material as your fingernails.
n. the horny sheath encasing the toes or lower part of the foot of certain ungulate mammals, such as horses or cattle. Composed of keratin, it provides a durable surface for weight-bearing and locomotion.
The horse needs its hoof cleaned after the long ride.
The rhythmic sound of a single hoof striking the pavement echoed through the quiet village street.
Evolutionary biologists study the transition from multi-toed ancestors to the single hoof of the modern horse as an adaptation for high-speed travel across hard, open plains.
From Middle English hoof, hof, from Old English hōf, from Proto-Germanic hōfaz (compare West Frisian hoef, Dutch hoef, German Huf, Danish hov, Norwegian hov, Swedish hov), from Proto-Indo-European ḱoph₂ós (compare Sanskrit शफ (śaphá, “hoof, claw”), Avestan 𐬯𐬀𐬟𐬀 (safa, “hoof”), possibly Czech, Polish kopyto).
The plural form is usually 'hooves', though 'hoofs' is also accepted in modern usage.