hoof
UK: huːf | US: huːf
n. the hard, horny part of the foot of a horse, deer, or other quadruped
vt. to strike or kick with a hoof
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The word "hoof" traces back to Old English hōf, derived from Proto-Germanic hōfaz. It shares ancestry with Old Norse hófr, Dutch hoef, and German Huf. This compact term has retained its form and core meaning ("hard foot part of an animal") for over a millennium, reflecting its status as a foundational Germanic noun. Unlike compound words, "hoof" evolved as a single lexical unit without separable morphemes in English.
The horse's hoof clicked against the cobblestones.
Deer hooves leave distinct tracks in soft soil.
The blacksmith trimmed the donkey's overgrown hoof.
A bull can hoof the ground aggressively when threatened.
Fossilized hoof prints revealed ancient migration routes.