stud
UK: stʌd | US: stʌd
n. a small decorative fastening or projecting piece, typically one of several, used for ornamentation or reinforcement
n. a male animal, especially a horse, kept for breeding
n. (informal) a man regarded as attractive, virile, or sexually active
The word "stud" traces back to Old English studu, meaning "post, pillar, or support." This evolved to describe projecting nails or knobs used in construction or decoration, later extending to breeding animals (likely from the idea of a "supporting" male in a herd). The informal sense of an attractive man emerged in 20th-century slang, metaphorically linking virility to the breeding connotation.
The leather jacket was adorned with silver studs.
The farm owns a prized stallion as their main stud.
He’s known around campus as a real stud.
She hammered the studs into the wooden beam for reinforcement.
The champion racehorse retired to become a breeding stud.