Clydesdale

American

[klahydz-deyl] / ˈklaɪdzˌdeɪl /

noun

one of a Scottish breed of strong, hardy draft horses, having a feathering of long hairs along the backs of the legs.

Clydesdale British

/ ˈklaɪdzˌdeɪl /

noun

a heavy powerful breed of carthorse, originally from Scotland

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Clydesdale

First recorded in 1780–90; after Clydesdale, Scotland

Compare meaning

How does clydesdale compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A baby bird who grows into a majestic bald eagle and a Clydesdale are friends.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

If you are moved by a Budweiser Clydesdale ad in 2026, you officially qualify for AARP.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

Budweiser's "American Icons" spot, marking the brewer's 150th anniversary, pairs its iconic Clydesdale horses with a bald eagle in a soaring tribute set to Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird."

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

The customers of Virgin Money - which was the name for the Clydesdale and Yorkshire bank group - will not be eligible for the money either.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2025

“I ’ay, ’ook in ’entral ’ark,” said Mr. Clydesdale.

From "Stuart Little" by E.B. White

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023