# mare

/ˈmɛɹ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mare
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female horse

noun · CEFR B1

an adult female horse.

For teachers: an adult female horse, typically over the age of three or four.

- The farmer kept a gentle mare and her young foal in the field.
- The stable manager decided to retire the prize-winning mare from racing to focus on her potential as a broodmare.

### 2. a bad experience

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

a very difficult, annoying, or embarrassing situation.

For teachers: a nightmare or highly frustrating experience; a shortening of 'nightmare'.

- I had a total mare at work today when the computer system crashed.
- The goalkeeper had a complete mare, conceding three soft goals in the first half before being substituted at the break.

### 3. lunar plain

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a large, dark, flat area on the surface of the moon.

For teachers: a large, dark, basaltic plain on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.

- The Sea of Tranquility is a famous mare where the first astronauts landed.
- Early astronomers mistakenly identified each lunar mare as a literal sea, unaware that these dark patches were actually solidified lava flows.

Usage: The plural form is 'maria'.

## Examples

- The mare gave birth to a healthy foal this morning.
- The farmer decided to keep the mare for breeding because of her calm temperament and strong build.
- In competitive horse racing, a mare may occasionally compete against stallions, though they are frequently entered into specific races restricted to female horses to ensure a more balanced field.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.