Horde

Pronunciation

• RP enPR: hôd, IPA: /hɔːd/
• US enPR: hōrd, IPA: /hoÊŠrd/, /hɔːrd/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)d
• Homophones: hoard, whored

Origin

Recorded in English since 1555. From Middle French horde, from German Horde, from Polish horda, from Russian орда (ordá, ""), which may come directly from Mongol or from West Turkic (compare Tatar urda, 'horde', Turkish ordu, 'camp, army'), from Mongolian orda, ordu, 'court, camp, horde'; akin to Kalmuk orda.

Full definition of horde

Noun

1. A wandering troop or gang; especially, a clan or tribe of a nomadic people (originally Tatars) migrating from place to place for the sake of pasturage, plunder, etc.; a predatory multitude.
2. A large number of people.We were beset by a horde of street vendors who thought we were tourists and would buy their cheap souvenirs.
• 1907, Jack London, Before Adam, page Chapter IVIt is true, the more progressive members of our horde lived in the caves above the river.

Derived terms

Usage notes

Sometimes confused with hoard.

Anagrams

• Herod
• Rhode