zebra mule, n.

zebra-mule
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zebra-mule_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2018

# zebra mulenoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zebra mule mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zebra mule. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

### Where does the noun zebra mule come from?

Earliest known use

1840s

The earliest known use of the noun zebra mule is in the 1840s.

OED's earliest evidence for zebra mule is from 1841, in the writing of Charles Hamilton Smith, soldier and natural historian.

### Nearby entries

1. zebra, n. 1597–
2. zebra caterpillar, n. 1841–
3. zebra crossing, n. 1934–
4. zebra danio, n. 1917–
5. zebraed, adj. 1806–
6. zebra finch, n. 1868–
7. zebrafish, n. 1771–
8. zebraic, adj. 1858–
9. zebra marking, n. 1854–
10. zebra moray, n. 1933–
11. zebra mule, n.1841–
12. zebra mussel, n. 1866–
13. zebrano, n. 1908–
14. zebra opossum, n. 1808–
15. zebra parakeet, n. 1856–
16. zebra plant, n. 1826–
17. zebra poison, n. 1871–74
18. zebra print, n. & adj. 1932–
19. zebra rhomb, n. 1770–1844
20. zebra rock, n. 1895–
21. zebra rush, n. 1882–

## Meaning & use

1. 1841–
   A zebroid; spec. the offspring of a male zebra and female horse.
   1. 1841

      > Equine mules..may be justly regarded as unable to continue their race: the Paris zebra mule likewise evinced an indifference, which..proved a similar state of organic inability.

      C. H. Smith, Natural History of Horses (Naturalist's Libr.: Mammalia XII) 343
   2. 1926

      > ‘Zebra mules’ found hardy stock for harness work.

      China Press (Shanghai) 16 June 4/1 (headline)
   3. 2016

      > A cross between the male zebra and female horse is called a zorse, or zebra mule.

      D. C. Smith, Book Mules 25
   1. zebra mule 1841–
      A zebroid; spec. the offspring of a male zebra and female horse.
   2. zebroid 1898–
      The hybrid offspring of a zebra and a horse or other equid.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

Originally published as part of the entry for zebra, n.

zebra mule, n. was first published in 2018.