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saddle

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saddle¹

  • /ˈsædl̩/ UK
  • /ˈsæd(ə)l/ US

Rhymes with -ædəl

Where it comes from

From Middle English sadel, from Old English sadol, from Proto-West Germanic *sadul, from Proto-Germanic *sadulaz (“saddle”). Further etymology uncertain, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *sod-dʰlo-, from *sed- (“to sit”) + *-dʰlom (a variant of *-trom (suffix forming nouns denoting instruments or tools)), though the Oxford English Dictionary says this “presents formal difficulties”.

Cognates

* Danish sadel

* Dutch zadel

* German Sattel

* Icelandic söðull

* Low German Sadel

* Russian седло́ (sedló)

* Saterland Frisian Soadel

* Scots sadil

* Swedish sadel

* West Frisian seal

noun saddles

  1. A seat for a rider, typically made of leather and raised in the front and rear, placed on the back of a horse or other animal, and secured by a strap around the animal's body. His [Cotton's] Horſe vvas led before, vvith a mourning Veluet Saddle on his backe, his Coffin had a Crimſon Sattin Quilt lined with purple Silke, ouer him vvas laid his Bible, Svvord and Hat: […]
  2. A similar implement used to secure goods to animals; a packsaddle.
  3. Synonym of harness saddle (“the part of a harness which supports the weight of poles or shafts attaching a vehicle to a horse or other animal”).

    Similar: harness saddle

  4. A cushion used as a seat in a cart or other vehicle.
  5. The immovable seat of a bicycle, motorcycle, or similar vehicle.
  6. broadly Chiefly preceded by the: horse-riding as an activity or occupation. [A] good horſeman, […] is ſkilfull to knovv, and hable to tell others, hovv, by certain ſure ſignes, a man may choiſe a colte, that is like to prove an other day excellent for the ſaddle.
  7. broadly Synonym of saddle brown (“a medium brown colour, like that of saddle leather”).

    Similar: saddle brown

  8. A low point, in the shape of a saddle, between two hills. The Hill Zeliſco bore S.E. vvhich is a very high Hill in the Country, vvith a Saddle or bending on the top.
  9. A cut of meat that includes both loins and part of the backbone. To roast a leg, haunch, or saddle of mutton. […] A modern refinement is to put laver in the dripping-pan, which, in basting, imparts a high gout; or a large saddle may be served over a pound and a half of laver, stewed in brown sauce with catsup and seasonings.
  10. The part of a denture which holds the artificial teeth.
  11. An equipment part, such as a flange, which is hollowed out to fit upon a convex surface and serve as a means of attachment or support. […] with this arrangement the cylinders are cast separately from the saddle, and bolted to the frames on each side with a fabricated stiffener between the frames. This stiffener is carried up to form the saddle for the smokebox, and within it is fitted the exhaust pipes from the cylinders to the bla
  12. An anticline (“fold with strata sloping downwards on each side”); specifically, a depression located along the axial trend of such a fold.
  13. Australia Synonym of saddle reef (“a saddle-shaped bedded mineral (usually gold-bearing quartz) vein occurring along the crest of an anticline or (less common) a syncline (an inverted saddle)”).

    Similar: saddle reef

  14. Synonym of saddle point (“a point in the range of a smooth function, every neighbourhood of which contains points on each side of its tangent plane”).

    Similar: saddle point

  15. The part of a guitar which supports the strings and, in an acoustic guitar, transfers their vibrations through the bridge to the soundboard.
  16. A small object (traditionally made of ebony) at the bottom of a string instrument such as a cello, viola, or violin below the tailpiece on which the tailgut (“cord securing the tailpiece to the instrument”) rests.
  17. A block of wood with concave depressions at the top and bottom, usually fastened to one spar and shaped to receive the end of another.
  18. The threshold, the raised floorboard in a doorway. Door Shoes - (doors with saddle threshold) are [strips that] provide a seal between the door and the threshold.
  19. The clitellum of an earthworm (family Lumbricidae).
  20. The lower part of the back of a domestic fowl, especially a male bird, bearing the saddle feathers or saddle hackles.
  21. In full saddle marking or saddle patch: a saddle-like marking on an animal, such as one on the back of an adult harp seal or saddleback seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), or any of numerous such markings on a boa constrictor (Boa constrictor).
  22. US A piece of leather stitched across the instep of a shoe, usually having a different colour from the rest of the shoe.
  23. US Synonym of saddle oxford or saddle shoe (“a shoe, resembling an oxford, which has a saddle (sense 11.1)”). 'Now then … What'll it be, boys?' Mr Berman asked. / My mother answered. 'Brown-and-white saddles for Fudge and loafers for Peter.'

    Similar: saddle oxford or saddle shoe

  24. A timeslot between two popular programmes, in which another programme can be scheduled to encourage people to watch it. In "hammocking," a new program is placed in the "saddle" between two established hits, or "tent poles."

saddle²

  • /ˈsædl̩/ UK
  • /ˈsæd(ə)l/ US

Rhymes with -ædəl

Where it comes from

From Middle English sadelen (“to put a saddle on (an animal), to saddle”) [and other forms], from Old English sadolian, sadelian, sadilian (“to saddle”), from Proto-Germanic *sadulōną (“to saddle”), from *sadulaz (“a saddle”, noun) (see further at etymology 1) + *-ōną (suffix forming denominative verbs from nouns).

Cognates

* Middle Dutch sādelen (modern Dutch zadelen)

* Middle Low German sādelen

* Old Danish sathlæ (modern Danish sadle)

* Old High German satalōn, satulōn (Middle High German satelen, sateln, German satteln)

* Old Norse sǫðla

* Old Swedish saþla (modern Swedish sadla)

verb saddles · saddling · saddled · saddle

  1. transitive To put a saddle (noun sense 1) on (an animal). Then roſe Balaam vp in the mornynge, & ſadled his Aſſe, & wente wͪ the prynces of yͤ Moabites.
  2. transitive To put (something) on to another thing like a saddle on an animal. Reſolv'd for Sea, the Slaves thy Baggage pack; / Each ſaddled, vvith his Burden on his back: […]
  3. figuratively, transitive To enter (a trained horse) into a race.
  4. figuratively, transitive Chiefly followed by with: to burden or encumber (someone) with some problem or responsibility. He has been saddled with the task of collecting evidence of the theft.
  5. figuratively, transitive Chiefly followed by on or upon: to place (a burden or responsibility) or thrust (a problem) on someone. I did not dislose the name of the man I proposed, because I found her only too eager to marry anyone upon whom she could saddle her debts, and so make him either pay them or change places with her.
  6. archaic, figuratively, transitive To control or restrain (someone or something), as if using a saddle; to bridle, to harness, to rein in. But he never would believe that Providence had sent a few men into the world ready booted and spurred to ride, and millions ready saddled and bridled to be ridden.
  7. figuratively, obsolete, rare, transitive To get (someone) to do a burdensome task. Picked up Sotheby, who endeavoured to saddle me for a review of his polyglot Virgil. I fear I shall scarce convince him that I know nothing of the Latin lingo.
  8. transitive To cut a saddle-shaped notch in (a log or other piece of wood) so it can fit together with other such logs or pieces; also, to fit (logs or other pieces of wood) together with this method.
  9. obsolete, transitive To put something on to (another thing) like a saddle on an animal.
  10. Canada, US, intransitive To put a saddle on an animal. Next day, while we were saddling, Ali and Abd el Kader appeared.
  11. Canada, US, intransitive Of a person: to get into a saddle. Till the dead midnight we saddled not,— / I have journeyed far and fast— / And hither I come to carry thee back / Ere the darkness shall be past.

Saddle³

proper noun

  1. A sub-sitio in the sitio of Proper Pudong, barangay of Pudong, Kapangan, Benguet, Philippines. NOW, THEREFORE, I, MANNY E. FERMIN, by virtue ofthe powers vested in me as the duly elected Municipal Mayor of Kapangan, do hereby order the lifting of the lockdown in Sub-Sitio Saddle, Proper Pudong, Kapangan, Benguet.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: saddleback, burden, charge, bicycle seat, horse, stool, collar, net, pillion, col, seat, tenderloin, fecal, faecal, pass, seller

Translations

Every language

noun seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal

Españolsilla, silla de montar, fuste, albardilla, albardón, albarda
한국어안장 anjang
日本語鞍 kura, サドル sadoru
中文鞍 ān, 鞍子 ānzi, 鞍座 ānzuò, 馬鞍 /马鞍 mǎ'ān
हिन्दीकाठी kāṭhī, ज़ीन zīn, चारजामा cārjāmā, पलान palān
Kiswahilisaruji
Portuguêssela, arreio
Françaisselle
DeutschSattel
Italianosella
Ελληνικάσέλα séla
Românășa
Русскийседло́ sedló
Tiếng Việtyên
العربيةسَرْج sarj, مَرْكَب markab
עבריתאֻכָּף \ אוכף ukaf

noun immovable seat of a bicycle, motorcycle, or similar vehicle

Españolsillín, asiento
日本語サドル sadoru
中文鞍座 ānzuò
Portuguêsselim
Françaisselle
DeutschSattel
Italianosellino
Ελληνικάσέλα séla
Românășa, șiț
Русскийседло́ sedló, сиде́нье sidénʹje
Tiếng Việtyên xe
العربيةسَرْج sarj

noun low point, in the shape of a saddle, between two hills

Españolcollado
中文鞍部 ānbù
DeutschSattel
Русскийседлови́на sedlovína

noun cut of meat that includes both loins and part of the backbone

DeutschRücken

noun part of a guitar which supports the strings

Españolpuente
DeutschSteg

verb (transitive) to put a saddle on (an animal)

Españolensillar
日本語鞍を置く kura o oku, 鞍を付ける kura o tsukeru
Portuguêsselar
Françaisseller
Deutschsatteln, besatteln
Italianosellare
Românăînșeua, înșela
Русскийседла́ть sedlátʹ, оседла́ть osedlátʹ

verb to burden or encumber (someone) with some duty or responsibility

Deutsch(sich etw.) aufhalsen
Italianoappioppare

verb of a person: to get into a saddle

Deutschaufsatteln

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Cite this
MLA

"saddle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/saddle. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

saddle. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/saddle

Chicago

"saddle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/saddle.

BibTeX
@misc{saddle_2026,
  title = {saddle},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/saddle},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}