Bible Encyclopedias
Mustang

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Mustafa Reshid Pasha

Next Entry
Mustapha Kemal

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Dictionaries
Webster Dictionary
• Mustang
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Mustang

the wild or semi-wild horse of the prairies of America, the descendant of the horses imported by the Spaniards after the conquest in the 16th century (see Horse). The word appears to be due to two Spanish words, mestrenco, or mostrenco, defined by Minsheu (1599) as "a strayer." Mestrenco (now mesteno) means "wild, having no master," and appears to be derived from mesta, a grazier-association, which among other functions appropriated any wild cattle found with the herds.